


Under Cover

by patentlyhazel



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternative Universe - FBI, Child Abandonment, Crimes & Criminals, Crossdressing, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Italian Mafia, M/M, Organized Crime, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:54:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 61,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23512717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patentlyhazel/pseuds/patentlyhazel
Summary: Frank loves his job. As a special agent with the FBI's organized crime division, he spends his days "kicking ass and taking names," though it sometimes feels more like constant battles with the office Keurig and going to entirely too many task force meetings. He's been great at going undercover for small surveillance jobs (something he credits to his growing up in the Jersey punk scene) but he's had dreams of working a bigger UC case.When Frank meets Gerard, an eclectic artist with a soft side that Frank adores, the two quickly fall in love despite Frank's past workaholic tendencies. However, when Frank gets offered a new undercover assignment with the Bureau, he discovers that his job is going to either make or break the best part of his life.
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way
Comments: 31
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just hit 20k words on this guy (thanks, quarantine) and decided to start posting it. Still doing some editing on the next few chapters as I tweak some things in the new parts I'm writing, but I'm hoping to have them up soon!

"Uncle Frankie, can I go and play on the big slide?" Frank grinned down at the little boy tugging on the cuff of his hoodie.

"Sure thing, little man. Just make sure you stay where you can see me. Remember the rule?"

"If I can't see you, you can't see me. I know, I know!" Carter, the four-year-old son of his unit's chief, or Captain as Frank preferred to call the senior supervisory special agent, was already barreling towards the large slide on the opposite end of the graveled playground before he could even finish the sentence. Keeping a close eye on the child, Frank made his way over to one of the benches that lined the perimeter of the park and sat down. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he quickly pulled it out to read the message from Carter's dad.

_**El Capitan:** We've got eyes on Carter. You're clear for surveillance._

Frank didn't risk a glance at the minivan parked nearby where the Captain was currently sitting, nor at the two agents, Hagevik and Sabatino, playing Frisbee with Hagevik's dog about ten yards away. He trusted them all enough to know that if they said they were watching the kid, he could focus on his job. Their agents had already been made twice by the trafficking ring they were investigating while doing recon, so they'd made the decision to bring Frank and Carter in for surveillance. Carter, to give Frank a tangible reason to be in a children's playground as they believed that was one of the main reasons they'd been made previously, and Frank, as one of the only agents in their unit who looked about as far off from a fed as one could imagine. He kept his hair a bit longer than most of the senior agents approved of, and he had a few tattoos that crept over the long sleeved dress shirts he wore in the office, courtesy of his rebellious teen years spent sneaking into dive bars to hear his favorite punk bands play.

Frank set down the backpack he'd been carrying and pulled out one of Carter's Capri-Sun pouches. It wasn't like the kid was going to drink all four of them, and Frank was thirsty, dammit. Besides, it gave him something to do while he looked around so he wouldn't be as suspicious. He began making a mental checklist of the adults in the park, trying to spot anyone from the mugshots and surveillance photos they had hanging up in the briefing room back at the office.

There were two women on the bench adjacent to his, but after a quick listen in on their conversation, they were both working as nannies and met at the park often. Past them was a man in a business suit pacing back and forth under a tree, shouting into his Bluetooth that his ex-wife had unexpectedly dropped off their son and he was trying to get a hold of their sitter so he could make it back in time for "the big meeting." There was a teenage girl sitting underneath a tree to Frank's right. He couldn't see her face, but her profile didn't match anyone that Frank was supposed to be keeping an eye out for. She had a grey backpack covered in rainbows, and a sketchbook was propped up on her bare knees, holding her skirt in place while she drew.

On the other side of the playground equipment, Frank could see another group of moms or nannies, but then his gaze narrowed in on his targets. They were sitting on one of the benches, half hidden by a jungle gym. The woman, Mari Ruiz, was barely eighteen and looked like she'd been on drugs for twice that. They had evidence that she was once a victim herself, but she was now being used to help lure young children into the ring. Next to her was a man pushing into his forties, Ed Randall. He wasn't one of the men in charge, but the Bureau was pretty sure he was working as the muscle. They never saw Mari out without him.

From what they'd gathered through surveillance and interviews, Ed and Mari targeted children from the nearby local parks, with this being a favorite of theirs. They were careful, though, and they never abducted their victims from the playgrounds. They'd choose their target and follow them home. Once they found out where the child lived, they'd learn the child's routine and choose a time. Grocery store parking lots, shopping malls, and public restrooms were where many of the abductions took place. The adults were distracted and it gave Mari a chance to lure the child away. She was approachable with kids and it took only seconds for her to separate the child from his or her parents. Once she did, Ed would swoop in and escort them both to a waiting vehicle. If that happened, there was a good chance the abducted children wouldn't be seen by their families again.

Ed and Mari were a very small part of a very large trafficking ring, one that spanned into several countries around the world. That being said, Frank's unit was confident that Mari knew enough from her own abduction to fill in some of the missing pieces they needed to help infiltrate and take down the ring. The goal for today was to find their next target. If they could get eyes on their next victim, they'd be able to follow the child and subsequently stop the abduction, making the arrest. They'd tried to follow Ruiz and Randall previously, but that only spooked the pair and caused them to lay low for several months. Frank pulled out his phone and shot a text to the unit.

_**Iero:** I've got eyes on Ruiz and Randall. I'm going to try to get a better vantage._

_**El Capitan:** 10-4._

He tried to think of the best way to move further to the right so he could be in a better position, one that wasn't obstructing his vision with playground equipment, without raising suspicion. Before he could come up with a plan an opportunity arose. The young artist under the tree had shifted and a loose piece of paper from her sketchbook blew in Frank's direction. Frank took a few quick steps and snatched the paper from blowing further along the ground and walked over to hand it to her.

Making his way to her side, Frank spotted the traffickers in his periphery and stepped into a position where he'd be able to see them clearly before sitting on the ground next to the artist. As he focused on his new cover, he was surprised to see that he'd been mistaken. The artist had an androgynous face, but the slight Adam's Apple and barely-there stubble on his chin was enough for Frank to realize that he was not born female.

"Hey, I think this belongs to you," Frank said with a smile as he extended the rogue paper towards the skirt-clad artist.

"Thanks. I thought I had all of the loose ones clipped down, but I guess not." The younger boy smiled, a slight flush under his pale skin. Needing a reason to maintain his position, Frank held his hand out in greeting.

"No worries, I'm quick on my feet when it comes to runaway drawings. I'm Frank, by the way."

"Gerard. Nice to meet you." Gerard slipped his hand into Frank's and shook it gently.

"Gerard, that's not a name you hear often."

"I'm not sure what my parents were thinking. My mom must've went through a French phase or something. What about you, is Frank short for something?"

Frank grinned before responding, risking a quick glance in the direction of his targets. "Nope, just Frank. It's a family name, though, so I'm technically the third 'just Frank.'"

"Do you have a kid here?" Gerard looked down and resumed sketching, giving Frank the ability to look back towards the playground and to try and get a better idea of who Randall and Ruiz were clocking.

"Yeah, I'm watching my nephew today and I promised him I'd take him to the playground. The kid's got more energy than I know what to do with. Now I see why my mom used to tell me she was going to nail my shoes to the floor sometimes."

Frank glanced back at Gerard and smiled when he saw the pink tip of his tongue poking through his taught lips while he focused on the lines he was creating across the page. When he saw Ruiz point at something out of the corner of his eye, though, his focus snapped back to the traffickers.

"Which one's your nephew?"

"Huh?" Frank barely registered the question and had to rewind the last few seconds in his mind. "Oh, the one in the Spider-Man costume. He's going through a phase."

"As long as he wasn't actually bitten by a radioactive spider, I'm a fan of this phase."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure he's still human or he'd have had me slung up in a web already for making him eat his veggies at lunch."

"Well, aren't you the villain," Gerard said with a giggle. Frank felt a warm flush rise to his cheeks as he allowed himself a few quick moments to study the boy next to him. He had black hair that barely brushed his shoulders, and wide set eyes that helped to frame his slightly upturned nose. He was attractive, Frank couldn't deny that. It had been a long time since he'd dated anyone, not since he'd joined the Bureau. He pushed the fleeting thoughts of evenings spent cuddling on the couch watching movies or laughing at stupid jokes over coffee from his mind before he could ponder them further. He was on a job. He had to focus. He wasn't even sure if Gerard was eighteen, or into men for that matter.

"Someone's got to be his foil, right? What about you, do you have a kid here?"

"No, I'm just here to draw. It's a good exercise. Kids are full of movement, they never stay still. Tons of kinetic energy, ya'know? So you have to capture them quickly, and it's hard to show their movement in a still sketch. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't, but it's good to practice." Gerard leaned back over his sketchbook and rubbed against the charcoal with his fingertip in apparent frustration.

Frank hummed quietly in response, turning his gaze back to where Ed and Mari were sitting and trying to keep his face pointed towards the playground. There was a little girl playing on the merry-go-round near Carter. She looked to be five or six, blonde, Caucasian, and judging by her clothes her family was fairly well off. It would be a risky grab for them, but the payoff would be extreme compared to some of their recent victims.

The little girl made her way over to the swing set and Frank saw both Ed's and Mari's watchful eyes following her. He was fairly certain he'd found their next victim, so he pulled out his phone and pretended to answer a call.

"Hey, man. Yeah, the kid's having fun. We're just at the park over on Mercer. Nah, he's still Spidey. Not even Uncle Frankie could convince him to go for the shirt and jeans combo. He's climbing all over shit, man. I'll send you some pics in a sec, okay? Don't worry about it, take your time--we're fine, promise. See you soon." Hanging up from his fake phone call, Frank opened the camera app and pointed it at the playground. He snapped a couple of pictures, trying to get both the little girl and the two traffickers in the shots without being obvious. He took a few more wide shots to get some of the other kids and adults, just in case, before sending the photos to his work email.

He texted one of the photos of the blonde girl to his unit so they'd know who he'd pinned as the target.

"You guys leaving soon?" Gerard flipped to a fresh page in his book and quickly started to sketch out some more figures.

"What's that?" Frank asked, turning his attention back to the young artist beside him.

"Your phone call. Sounded like you guys were leaving soon. Not that I want you to, or don't want you to. I'm impartial. Just observing." Gerard flushed lightly, keeping his gaze intently down at his sketchbook.

Frank chuckled at the choice of words. "His dad will be picking him up soon. He said he was stuck in traffic."

"That's the city for you. It's why I always take the subway."

"So you can blame your lateness on train delays and reroutes."

"Exactly. Plus, it's cheaper than a taxi and I can draw during the commute."

He smiled, looking down at the scene Gerard had managed to rough out on the paper. The playground equipment loomed in the background while a sketch of Carter in his Spidey Suit flew across the page from a string of webbing. Before he could comment on it, Frank noticed the blonde girl he'd been watching run towards one of the nannies that had been seated next to him when he'd been on the bench earlier. As he'd suspected, Ed and Mari stood to follow. He watched them make their way out of the park, following the girl and her caretaker as they walked towards the girl's home, presumably.

_**Iero:** Targets leaving park. Girl from photo with nanny. Nanny in blue sundress, white shoulder bag, black hair and sunglasses. Heading south on Mercer towards Bleeker on foot._

_**Scully:** 10-4... tailing._

Frank's partner had been outside the park at a coffee cart waiting to take over surveillance. Both she and Frank had been working together for the past two years since they'd been in Quantico together, and after she'd proclaimed her hatred for one of Frank's favorite shows, The X-Files, he'd taken to calling her Scully. Their constant ribbing and sibling-like teasing was key in their partnership, their dynamic allowing them to work together well. He trusted her completely, and he knew she felt the same.

Before he could stop it, Carter had barreled across the playground and tackled Frank onto his back in the grass. With a wince, he sat both himself and the young superhero back into an upright position.

"What's shakin', kiddo?"

"Can I have a juice box? And a snack?" Frank grinned and dug into the depths of his backpack to pull out one of the remaining Capri-Suns and a packet of goldfish crackers, handing them over to Carter. He grabbed a pouch of fruit snacks for himself and offered one to Gerard, who happily took it with a grin and a murmur of thanks.

"Who's this, Uncle Frankie?" Carter lowered his voice and shyly gazed at the young artist next to Frank.

"This is my new friend, Gerard. Gerard, this is Carter, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." Gerard held his hand out for a shake but Carter just stared until Frank nudged him in an effort to remind the younger boy to be polite.

"It's nice to meet you, Carter. Spider-Man is one of my favorites."

"Are you a boy or a girl?" Carter was unabashed in his question, though Frank turned bright red with embarrassment. He was curious, he had to admit, at how Gerard preferred to identify, but he knew there were plenty of more tactful ways to ask. Thankfully, Gerard let out a soft giggle and smiled in return.

"I'm a boy," he said gently.

"But you're wearing a skirt!" If Frank had thought his face couldn't flush any more, he was dead wrong.

"That's because I think skirts are pretty. And if girls are allowed to wear pretty things like skirts, I think I should be allowed too."

"Sometimes I want to wear pretty colors on my nails like Momma. I like pretty things too. She let me put blue on my toes once! It was awesome! Do you like superheroes too?" Carter's shyness disappeared in a flash as his mouth began to run at a mile a minute.

"I do, and sometimes I even like to make my own superheroes. Want to see?"

Carter nodded vigorously and plopped himself down next to Gerard. The artist flipped through the pages of his sketchbook until he got to one that had a collection of masked men and women decorating the pages.

"This one I think I'm going to call Party Poison. I can't think of a good name for this guy, though. What do you think?"

"Maybe, like, Jet Star? That sounds fast, and he's probably fast. I really like the fast superheroes, like Quicksilver, and the Flash!"

"Jet Star, I like it." Gerard penciled in the name below the character while Frank smiled on at the pair. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Captain walking towards them from across the playground. Frank waved him over and stood to greet him, wiping the grass from the back of his jeans.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on him this morning, Iero. I hope he didn't give you too much trouble," the Captain said as he greeted him like he hadn't just seen him an hour ago.

"No, sir. The kid was a breeze. He made a new friend--Gerard draws superheroes--but I'm hoping he's all tuckered out for you. He was running around like crazy out there."

"Oh, he bounces back. I'm sure he'll be climbing over the walls in no time at home."

"Should I head back to the office?"

"Don't worry about it, it's late in the day. Just plan on having your report done by tomorrow's briefing. Carter, you ready to go?" The Captain looked at his son who'd flopped backwards into the grass again in protest. Frank let out a chuckle and poked the child on his sides to tickle him.

"C'mon, bud. It's time to go. Say bye and thank you to Gerard for showing you his super cool drawings, and gimme a hug. I'll see you soon." Frank scooped up the child and pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek.

"Ugh, Uncle Frankie, that's gross!" The three men laughed as Carter made a big show of wiping Frank's slobber from his cheek.

Once Carter waved goodbye to Frank and Gerard, with Frank giving a sarcastic salute to the Captain, they disappeared into the minivan and drove away. He sat back down next to Gerard, deciding to use his new afternoon off to get to know the artist a little bit more, not quite ready to leave. It had been a while since he'd had a crush, but he couldn't deny the fuzzy feeling crawling under his skin when he looked at Gerard.

"Is that your brother-in-law, then? The two of you don't look very similar."

Gerard closed his sketchbook and folded his calves under him so he was facing Frank. He carefully smoothed the skirt down over his knees, one hand lingering to fiddle with the hem.

"He's actually my boss. I guess more of a mentor, maybe. But my work team is like my family, ya'know? We're all really close, and his kid took a liking to me so now I'm 'Uncle Frankie.'"

"You're good with him. You can tell he looks up to you." Frank smiled with a slight chagrin crossing his features.

"I'm not sure I'm the best role model for him. He'd be better off looking up to his dad. Or Obama. Or, like, Mr. Rodgers, or something."

Gerard's laughter rang out clearly before he said through giggles, "All great role models, but don't sell yourself too short. Kids need lots of different types of people to look up to. That's what makes well-rounded adults."

"You sound like a fortune cookie."

"I was conceived in a fortune cookie factory, so that makes sense. What do you do for work?"

"Oh, I'm in law enforcement," Frank stated carefully. He wasn't a secret agent, he was allowed to tell people he worked for the FBI, but he had a habit of playing things a little closer to the vest.

"You don't look like a cop," Gerard said as he narrowed his eyes at the tattooed man.

"That's because I'm _not_ a cop," Frank said with a smile, "I just work in law enforcement. What do you do for work?"

"I sell a little art when I can, but I mainly work at a bookstore--Barnes and Noble. It's a little more steady than commissions."

"I get that. I used to be in bands, and I thought I was going to do that full time, but it's hard to make a living booking gigs if you don't get signed."

"Now had you led with that rather than your 'not-a-cop' job, I might've been more inclined to believe you the first time. You look like you belong in a band."

"Is it the tattoos? Is that what gave me away?" Frank grinned and leaned forward a little bit. He was out of his comfort zone with the flirting, if that's what he was even trying to do, but there was something that felt natural talking to Gerard. Without having sex traffickers to focus on, Frank found himself thinking a little bit more about what it would feel like to kiss the young artist. He tried to shake the thought from his mind but it lingered in the back of his brain like the charcoal smudges that stained Gerard's fingertips.

"Among other things. I'm very observant, Frank Iero."

"That was an easy one. Cap said my last name. Tell me something else, something that you've observed that most people wouldn't." Gerard scooched a few inches closer to Frank, carefully studying his appearance. He was silent, but Frank could see the wheels turning in his mind. He picked up one of Frank's hands, gently turning it over in his palms and tracing Frank's fingers with his own. Pressing their palms together like a handshake, he pushed the sleeves of Frank's hoodie up slightly, taking in some of the tattoos before setting Frank's hand back down and leaning back on his heels.

"You said you were in a band, but your hands say you played the guitar. Maybe the bass? But your fingertips are pretty tough. I'm going to go with a standard guitar, not a bass. You've got a watch on, and it's in military time, but I'm guessing that has to do with your job. I don't think you're ex-military. Your tattoos, from what I can see, aren't cohesive, so they weren't part of a planned sleeve. They were all intentional, individual. I like that. The one on your arm, it looks like the Virgin Mary--I could only see the lower half. I'm guessing a Catholic family, maybe Italian? The accent says Jersey." Gerard paused for a moment, looking at Frank for an indication that he was on the right track, but Frank was careful to not give anything away.

"You used to have a lip ring, too. That plus the tattoos and the Bouncing Souls button says you were part of the punk scene. Your shoes and your bag say you're not broke, but you don't spend frivolously. They're both name brand but worn and well-loved. And your shirt is inside out under the hoodie but I don't think it was an accident, though I've never really met someone who enjoys wearing their shirts inside out. Maybe it wasn't kid appropriate? There's no wedding ring and I don't think you've ever worn one, or if you did, it wasn't for long. Occam's Razor, you've never been married. Also, you bite your nails but you don't seem nervous so I'm thinking it's either a childhood habit or you're an ex-smoker. I'm going with the latter, or both. How'd I do?"

"Christ, you're pretty dead-on, except for the shirt part. It's kid-appropriate. I really do just like wearing shirts inside out."

Gerard let out another giggle that had Frank leaning forward even more to catch his hand where it was playing with the hem of his skirt. He caught himself, his hand hovering awkwardly in the air before he pulled it back to his side.

"So now you know all about me. Could I buy you a cup of coffee sometime to learn about you?"

"I'm an open book, Frankie. I bet you could read me right now. But coffee is the way to my heart, so you've got yourself a date."

"Can I get your number?" When Gerard nodded, Frank pulled out his phone and created a new contact before handing it over to the younger boy.

Gerard quickly typed a few things onto the screen and held it away from himself to take a selfie. His too wide, cheesy grin made Frank laugh, especially when Gerard added, "just so you know I have all my teeth."

When he got his phone back, he sent a quick text to the new contact. A simple smiley face and his name so Gerard would have his number.

Noting the name Gerard had put in his phone, he said, "Gee, huh?"

"That's what they call me. I've got to get going though. I'm meeting my roommate for dinner after her shift and I need time to get cute before we head out."

"I don't think you'll need much time for that at all, seeing as you're already cute. I should probably get going, too, though. Reports to write and takeout to order," Frank said with a smile. He stood up, holding a hand out to help Gerard to his feet. He could feel his heart beat the slightest bit faster when Gerard's hand lingered in his own after they were both standing.

"Before I forget, how old are you, Gee? You've got one of those faces that could be anywhere from fifteen to twenty-five. I probably should've asked before I asked for your number. I'm really sorry." Frank squeezed the younger boy's fingertips before letting his hand go, waiting for an answer.

"Don't worry, Frankie, I'm twenty," Gerard said with a laugh. "Legal for you, but not quite for vodka."

Gerard stuffed his sketchbook and pencils into his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder. Frank stilled as one of the artist's charcoal-stained hands pressed against his chest as he stood on his tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to Frank's cheek. When Gerard leaned back, biting his lip and shyly looking up at Frank through his eyelashes, the older man reached down to grip his hand once more.

"I'm twenty-six. Is that okay with you?" Gerard nodded and laced his fingers through Frank's. "I'll text you tonight. Promise. We'll pick a time and place for coffee."

With one last squeeze of his hand, Frank reached up to press a quick kiss to Gerard's forehead before taking a few steps back.

"See you soon, Gee."

―

_**Frank:** i hope you and your roommate are having fun. i'm heading to bed soon, early morning tomorrow... just wanted to say it was great meeting you today, and i can't wait to see you again. goodnight. xo frnk_

Frank plugged his phone into the charger and relaxed back onto his pillows. He still couldn't wrap his mind around how quickly he'd begun crushing on Gerard. Frank was used to a solitary life. He didn't miss dating, he didn't miss the companionship, he was fine on his own. He had Scully, the Captain, Carter, and a few other close friends from the Bureau who kept him from feeling too lonely.

He and Scully tried to get drinks together at least once a week, and Frank had a standing invitation for Sunday night dinners at the Captain's house from his lovely wife, Greta. Despite the less than ten-year age gap between the two of them, she tended to mother over Frank and got worried that he would wither away on takeout and bodega sandwiches, so she always sent him home with Tupperware full of leftovers for him to eat throughout the week.

Frank had people. He'd see cute boys on the street but barely ever gave them a second glance. He didn't crave a relationship the way some of the single people he knew did. He had his job and he'd always had something in his brain that filled any void he felt in his life with more cases before he'd even have the chance to fill it with something--someone--else.

Gerard, though, he'd somehow managed to lodge himself in Frank's mind with nothing more than a cute grin, wide and innocent eyes, and a kind conversation. Frank was hooked and for the first time since he'd been tapped for the Bureau, he was noticing how much he wanted someone to talk to about something other than work, someone to hold and hug and kiss, someone to share the parts of his life with that he was used to keeping to himself. His phone buzzed on the nightstand next to him, and he smiled almost as widely as Gerard's contact picture when he saw a text flash on the screen.

 _ **Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** Just got back home, actually. About to curl up on the couch and watch a movie until I get sleepy. Any suggestions? We've got Netflix, Hulu, and Prime. Don't tell the hot not-a-cop I met earlier, but I'm not against pirating something either._ 🙈

Frank laughed out loud, surprising himself at his response. Thankfully, he was home alone, otherwise someone would think he was crazy laughing to himself.

_**Frank:** not exactly my department, but i do know a guy haha... don't worry though. i won't say a word. what kind of movies do you like? i consider myself an expert in the field, but a genre always helps._

He waited, wondering how long it would take Gerard to respond. He wasn't expecting the younger boy to drop everything for a conversation with him, but he couldn't lie to himself about how eager he was to hear from the cute artist. Thankfully for Frank's state of mind, his phone vibrated with another text a few moments later.

 _ **Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** It's hard to go wrong with cult classics, and I'm a sucker for cartoons, horror, musicals, and indie romance. I'm currently in the mood for a terrible b-film, though, if you've got any recommendations. I'm curious if your expertise extends to the dark side of low budget horror._

_**Frank:** oh baby, do i have you covered. b-films are my go-to after a long work week, and i've got a stockpile of recs. how about troll 2, or birdemic? also, cartoons... what's your take on studio ghibli?_

He grabbed his laptop from the bedside table and logged in, plugging in his hard drive of downloaded movies that he definitely didn't tell his friend in the IPR Center about, though he doubted they would really care about him downloading a few movies for his personal use.

 _ **Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** Troll 2 is a classic, but I've never seen Birdemic. I'm downloading it now, so I hope you don't let me down. I even have my favorite blanket so I've got a warm cozy to cuddle. My expectations have never been higher._ 😉

 _ **Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** As for Ghibli, I have to tell you that Kiki's Delivery Service is one of my all-time favorite movies ever. I've got some great memories attached to it that make it my go-to whenever I'm a little bit sad. It always cheers me up._

_**Frank:** don't worry, sweet gee. if you're a true fan of b-film, you'll fall in love with this one. it's awful. let me know when you start to play it? you've got me in the mood to curl up and watch it too. i can't promise to stay awake for the whole thing though... especially with thoughts of your coziness running through my mind._

_**Frank:** and while i'd never want you to be sad, maybe someday we can watch kiki together. it's one of my favorites of theirs as well._

Frank queued up Birdemic and cast it to his TV on the wall opposite his bed. He fluffed up the pillows behind his head and double-checked that his alarm for the next morning was set, knowing he'd probably fall asleep before the movie was over.

 _ **Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** I just pressed play_ 😊

_**Frank:** me too :)_

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** I wish you were here to cuddle me, Frankie. Movies are always better when shared._

His head began swimming with thoughts of Gerard curled up in his bed with him, running his fingers through the long, black locks while he sleepily watched a movie with his head on Frank's chest. Pressing kisses to his hair after a jump-scare, or lacing their hands together for comfort during a heartbreaking scene in a romance.

_**Frank:** that sounds amazing baby. after our coffee date, i'm hoping to take you on a dinner date, but maybe our third can be a cozy movie date at home?_

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** You're already planning on a third date?_ 😍 _Now I'm hoping that I'm going to live up to your expectations. You seem like the kind of guy who'd have no trouble finding someone to cuddle. It makes me happy that you want to with me._

He frowned at the message from the sweet boy. If anything, he felt like he was the one needing to live up to expectations. Gerard was a catch by all definitions of the term, at least according to Frank.

_**Frank:** honestly, my job is a lot. it's been a while since i've talked to anyone like this, let alone asked someone on a date. i wasn't looking for anyone. when i met you today it kind of hit me like a brick wall... there's something about you that makes me want more._

_**Frank:** that sounded like such a line. fuck._

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** It may have sounded like a line, but it was a sweet one. I like hearing what's going on in your mind, Frankie. Don't worry about how things sound. If you mean something, you should say it. What makes your job a lot?_

Frank paused for a moment before answering. He was still on the fence about giving out too many details, but he figured if he really wanted something more with Gerard, it wouldn't be fair to keep it from him.

_**Frank:** long hours, a decent amount of travel at times, and danger if i'm being entirely honest. i'm in the fbi. i work in organized crime so our cases are sometimes pretty rough... we keep office hours for the most part but it sometimes gets to be a lot if we're working on something big. takes its toll, i guess._

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** I can understand why being single is easier for someone with a job like that. I can't imagine the things you've seen or the situations you've been in, but it sounds like you play an important role in making the world a safer place, and I admire that. I'm hoping you'll let me stick around long enough to see if I can fit into your life._

_**Frank:** like i said, gee. you make me want more. i'd like to give this a shot, and i'm hoping you'll keep me around long enough to try._

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ **:** ❤︎❤︎❤︎

Frank smiled down at his phone before tuning into the movie he'd been neglecting to watch. He knew it was awful, but he'd honestly forgotten just how bad it was.

_**Frank:** on a lighter note, how are you liking the train wreck of a movie so far?_

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** It's TERRIBLE! I love it._

The pair watched together from their separate apartments for a while longer, texting anytime a particular bit of dialogue or special effect had them cracking up.

 _ **Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** Oh my God, Frankie! The coat hangers!_ 😂😂😂 _Someone actually made this movie. I can't get over that._

_**Frank:** i know, right? i'm pretty sure i made movies for school projects that were better than this._

Before long, Frank was drifting off. Knowing that he wasn't going to stay awake for much longer, he shot one last text off to Gerard before plugging his phone in and tucking in for the night.

_**Frank:** i don't think my eyes can stay open much longer, so i'm gonna call it a night. sweet dreams, sweetheart. i'll talk to you tomorrow. xo_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little adult action going on in this one... swim at your own risk.

They'd been texting for five days by the time their schedules lined up for a coffee date. It was a Monday afternoon, and Frank had the day off since his unit was heading to DC on Tuesday to meet with the task force for the trafficking case they were working on. He'd only be gone for a few days, but he was thanking all of the gods he could think of that he'd get to see Gerard before he left. Getting the task force together was always intense and Frank knew he could use the pick-me-up before diving into the sordid details of a multi-national sex trafficking ring.

He'd offered to pick Gerard up for their date, but the younger boy responded with his familiarity and fondness for the MTA and told Frank that he'd be perfectly safe taking the subway and walking a few blocks to the coffee shop. They compromised with Frank offering to meet him at the station so they could walk the few blocks together.

That's where he currently found himself, leaning against the bus bench at the top of the staircase of the Spring Street station. Out of habit, he watched as people passed by on the sidewalk and guessed where they were going. One woman, decked out in yoga gear with a reusable shopping bag on her arm, he guessed was heading for the nearest Trader Joe's. There was an older gentleman slowly pacing near the curb, and if Frank's gut was accurate, the man was waiting for a car service to pick him up. He saw several suspected students nearby which made sense as they were close to the university. The thought peaked Frank's interest as he quickly wondered if Gerard was in school. He'd have to ask.

When he spotted the young artist at the top of the steps, his face broke into a wide grin.

"Hey, Gee!" Frank took a few steps forward and pulled the younger boy into a quick hug, which he was happy to feel Gerard return. When they broke apart, Gerard's hand found its way into Frank's and the pair smiled at each other.

"You look beautiful. I'm really happy to see you today," Frank said, gently squeezing his hand. Gerard looked over at him and plucked at one of the buttons on Frank's jacket.

"I'm happy too. Gorilla Biscuits? Good choice." Frank grinned and tugged the boy forward so they could start walking towards the coffee shop.

"Do you live near here? It's close to the park where we met, so I figured it wouldn't be too big of a stretch."

"Yeah, pretty close. I'm over by Union Square. What about you?"

"I'm over in Hell's Kitchen, so not too far." Gerard tugged on his hand, frowning at the older man.

"We could've gone somewhere closer to you, Frankie! That's, like, a half hour on the subway on a good day."

"It's okay, Gee, promise. I work down here so I'm used to it. I was going to stop by the office on the way home anyways to grab some things before the trip tomorrow." He reached up with his free hand to tap the tip of Gerard's nose, melting the concern off his soft features.

"Are you flying there? Do you guys have a private jet like on TV? I've never flown in a private jet before. I've never actually flown in a plane of any kind. I was in a helicopter once when I was little, but I don't remember it very well. I think it was at an air show or something. It would be kind of exciting to be in a private jet, I think. Like a movie star or the president or--" Gerard's words tumbled out of his lips like water and Frank noticed he blushed as he trailed off. "Sorry, I ramble sometimes."

Frank smiled and shook his head. "Don't apologize, baby. I like hearing what's going on in your head. And to answer your question, no, we don't have a private jet like on TV. Usually we just fly domestic. If it's something big and they need the whole team, like our trip tomorrow, we'll take a business jet if it's far away. But DC's close enough, they're just having us drive. Cap even rented a church van so I get to to try and kill some zombies on my phone in the back while he drives."

"And text me!"

"Of course," Frank said, tugging Gerard close to his side and wrapping a strong arm around his waist. "You'll be the only thing keeping me sane, especially if Scully gets her hands on the AUX cord. She's _really_ into Carrie Underwood."

The younger boy tucked his head against Frank's shoulder which had Frank grinning for the rest of the walk to the shop. Once he ordered at the counter--one iced mocha, extra sweet for Gee and a black coffee--Frank led Gerard over to an empty table with a tattooed hand placed gently on his back. Gerard hummed and smiled into his drink, catching his shoe-covered toes on the top of Frank's rubber-tipped Chucks.

"So, Frankie, did you always want to be a secret agent?"

"Special, Gee. I'm special, not a secret," Frank teased, laughing when Gerard poked his tongue out in response. "But no, I never thought I'd ever do anything like this when I was younger. I worked in a gas station through high school and I was kind of a nerd. Like, I was into punk bands, yeah, but I got really good grades and ended up going to Rutgers on a full-ride." He paused to take a sip of his coffee before continuing.

"I started getting really into music. Joined another band, and I was actually planning on dropping out to play with them full-time. But the FBI had pulled a bunch of test scores that year, I guess, and they tapped me for the program. I had an interview and they sent a recruiting agent to talk to me. It was crazy. They started talking to me about what it would be like to join the Bureau, and how I'd be helping and all of that. I was on the fence, but when the band broke up, I decided to give it a shot. After I graduated, I did two years of internships that my recruiter recommended, then I had a few more interviews and they sent me to Quantico."

"Oh wow, I didn't know they recruited people like that."

"Yeah, they recruit from a bunch of different places, and every year is different based on what they're needing. Like, after 9/11, they were recruiting a bunch of people who were fluent in various Arabic dialects for surveillance and translation. For me, I was studying Psychology and they were needing more agents for profiling. They'll also recruit out of the military or the police academy--it all just kind of depends. I'm happy the way things ended up for me, though. I never would've thought I'd be here, but I don't think I'd trade it for something else either."

Gerard reached over the table and laced his fingers through Frank's. His soft voice lilted over the ambient noise in the shop as he spoke. "You should be really proud of yourself, sugar. You're doing really important things, and it sounds like you worked really hard to get here."

Frank turned his hand over so he could hold Gerard's, blushing at both the compliment and the pet name.

"What about you, baby? How did you start doing art? Are you in school?" Frank began to feel concerned as he saw Gerard's expression cloud over. He could tell the younger boy was uncomfortable, but he didn't know why. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that if you don't want to, Gee. I was just curious, but I don't want to pry."

"No, it's okay. It'll come up eventually, so I might as well get it out now."

He sniffled a little, pulling his sleeve down and wiping away a tear that was gathering at the corner of his eye. Frank felt helpless, hating to see the boy he'd been growing to care about so much feeling sad.

"God, how bad am I, crying on our first date? You probably think I'm crazy. Maybe I am crazy." Frank immediately leaned forward and pulled the hand he was holding up to his mouth, brushing tender kisses against the boy's knuckles.

"Don't even think like that, baby, I don't scare easy. And you're not crazy, trust me. I've seen crazy. You've just got a really open heart, and that's one of the things I really like about you, okay?"

"M'kay. I don't even know where to start. I guess--I'm gay, ya'know? But my dad was really old school, a traditional type. I came out when I was fifteen and he didn't like that. He kicked me out, which I think was illegal, but I wasn't really looking to stay there either. He scared me, ya'know? I bounced around with friends for a couple of years, crashed where I could while I finished school. I wanted to at least graduate high school. I got a job and started saving up some money, but they don't pay enough for rent and food and all that when you're not eighteen. One of the counselors knew, I think. She started calling me into her office and asking me about my home life, but then she got a new job and left and no one else really caught on." Gerard wiped a few more tears from his eyes while Frank continued pressing kisses to his hand.

"I've always loved art. I started drawing when I was really young, and I'm pretty good at it, right? So I thought if I applied to art school, and if I got in, I'd be okay. Like, people who go to college are supposed to be okay. That's what they tell you in school. The only way you'll get a good job is if you go to college. I applied to a bunch of art schools. I had a plan, I was going to get my degree and start working for DC, write my own comic books--I had dreams. I got into a few schools. SVA, even. But they don't really give out a lot of scholarships for art students, and there was no way I could afford the tuition. I looked at loans, but I didn't qualify for much and I didn't have a cosigner."

Gerard trailed off, looking out of the window at the busy street outside. He was still sniffling, but the tears had stopped.

"It got a little rough after graduation, ya'know? My friends started moving away for college. The places I was able to crash were disappearing as they left and I could only stay for so long with the people who stayed. I decided to head to the city. In my head, I knew there were a bunch of homeless people there, more than I saw in Jersey, so I'd be okay. I got a bed at a shelter, but I left there pretty quickly. The ones for men are rough. They helped me find a job, though, and I started working at the bookstore. It still wasn't enough for an apartment, so I started sleeping outside. That's when my roommate found me. I knew her in high school and she was studying at NYU. We'd hang out when I wasn't working, catching up and all that. She was working too, trying not to take out too many loans, and she had a single dorm. I offered to help her pay the rent and I crash on her couch. We've been getting away with it for about a year now. We have to be careful. I don't know, it's not the best situation but it works for the two of us and I don't know where I'd be right now if it wasn't for her. But yeah."

Frank slid into the chair next to Gerard without a second thought and pulled the boy into his arms, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Christ, baby. You're so strong," he murmured into Gerard's hair as the artist clung to him. "You're strong in a way that I wish you'd never had to be. You deserve the world, sweetheart, not a homeless shelter or a couch in a dorm. That's not how parents should be."

"Thanks, Frankie. You're strong too, you know that?" Gerard pulled away, his eyes red from the tears he'd let slip while Frank had held him. "You kind of have to be doing the things you do, Mr. Secret Special Agent Man. You spend every day seeing the worst of people and yet you're still able to make me smile. You and Kiki, you both cheer me up.

"I hope I'm always able to do that for you, Gee. Your smile is the best kind of art, and everyone should see it."

Frank pulled back a bit further so he could look into Gerard's eyes. Before his mind fully caught up with his actions, his hand was cradling the side of the younger boy's face and they were leaning towards each other. Frank paused, feeling the soft breath of the artist ghosting against his lips, waiting for Gerard to pull away. Instead, he felt Gerard lean closer until their lips were pressed together.

Frank didn't consider himself to be a romantic by any definition. He'd never waned poetic at the thought of his ex's from college, but in that moment, holding the boy he cared more about after one date than he'd ever cared about a partner in the past, Frank felt like he belonged in one of Shakespeare's sonnets. As his fingers curled against Gerard's cheek, the pads of his fingers brushing the delicate skin, he felt like his heart was beating double time and he could practically hear the blood pumping in his veins. He wanted to capture this moment in his mind, their first of hopefully many kisses to come, but he couldn't think straight.

He was trained to compartmentalize, to separate his emotions from his thoughts to keep a clear mind in any situation, but with Gerard pressed against him that training was impossible to recall. Instead, his thoughts were swimming with the way Gerard's hands were clinging to his waist, pulling him impossibly closer and digging into his hips in a delicious way. He was focused on the feeling of Gee's teeth tugging at his bottom lip and the wet sweep of his tongue following to soothe the bite. He was acutely aware of the quiet purr slipping from the back of Gerard's throat when Frank would rub his thumb against the side of Gerard's neck where his other hand rested.

When Frank's mind finally caught up with the world around them and the fact that they were still in a coffee shop in the middle of Lower Manhattan, he reluctantly pulled back, noting the twinge he felt in his stomach when Gerard moved to follow his lips. He looked into the younger boy's eyes, checking for any sign of regret. When he saw none, he pulled Gerard back towards him, tucking the artist's head under his chin and allowing his heartbeat to slow back to its normal pace.

"I wish you didn't have to leave tomorrow. I know why you do, and I'm not asking you to stay. I'm not going to be the kind of person that puts pressure on you to choose me over everything, ya'know? It's just, like, bad timing. You're going to go help save the world tomorrow, and I'm going to be in a bookstore, pining over the fact that I'll have to wait another week to kiss you again."

"I wish I didn't have to leave either. There's nothing I want more right now than to call in sick and spend the week taking you out, or curling up inside with movies and books and music and you. I don't know how my teammates do it."

"We're still new, Frankie. I think it feels worse because we've only gotten a very small taste of something that I think could be great."

"Can I see you the day we get back? I know you're working, but even if I pick you up from work and take you straight home, can I still see you? I'll even ride the subway with you, baby. Just for the chance to see you in person after what I know is going to be a long week." Frank leaned back so he could look at Gerard again, loving the warm, pink flush that had taken over his alabaster cheeks and the bright red splotch that had bloomed underneath his eye. He couldn't help it, he reached over and pecked it, pressing one more quick kiss to Gerard's lips again.

"I'm holding you to that, sugar. And while you're gone, you can text me or call me any time, okay? Even if it's in the middle of the night and you're having a hard time sleeping. My roommate sleeps like the dead, I swear."

Keeping one of Gerard's hands in his own, Frank settled back into his seat, sipping his coffee and listening to Gerard tell him about some of the "shenanigans" he and his roommate had gotten up to over the past year.

"Frankie, it was so crazy! It was like, this giant slip and slide thing right in the middle of campus for spirit week or something. And they covered the whole tarp in, like, gallons of lube! She left a snail trail behind her for weeks, I swear. I couldn't get it out of my hair, I looked like a greasy rat for at least three showers."

The pair laughed and shared stories well past the time their cups were empty, until Frank noticed that it was starting to get dark. He offered to ride the subway back and walk Gerard to the dorm building, but he politely declined.

"I promise I'll be safe, sugar. I've got my pepper spray in my bag, and I've been riding the train through worse parts of town later than this for a while. Just give me a kiss at the stairs, and I'll text you when I make it back?"

Frank complied, kissing him long enough that he missed the first train and had to wait another fifteen minutes for the next one, which neither of them minded much at all.

―

Ten months later, Frank was helping Gerard move into his tiny, one bedroom apartment, lugging two large duffel bags of clothes, shoes, and art supplies along with his own suitcase up the sixth floor walk up while Gerard carefully traipsed up the stairs behind him holding the house plant he'd named Carl.

"Frankie, are you sure you don't want help?"

"Baby, I love you, but I know you. These bags are heavy, and the second you try to drag one of them up the stairs, it's gonna drag you down with it."

"S'not my fault I have noodle arms," the younger man muttered to himself, following his boyfriend to the door.

Frank had asked Gerard to move in with him about five months into their relationship, which Gerard adamantly rejected.

"If I had my own place, you wouldn't be asking this early, Frankie. You only want me to move in because you feel bad that I'm technically homeless." They'd argued about it, Frank telling the younger boy that he'd be asking Gerard no matter what because they were in love, and Frank wanted nothing more than to come home from a long day at the office knowing that he'd have Gerard to hold onto that night. But Gerard was stubborn, and begrudgingly, Frank respected that. He tried to leave it with Gerard having an open invitation to move in whenever he wanted, but the artist literally stamped his feet in protest and demanded that Frank take back the invitation and ask him again later on in their relationship.

Seven months in, Gerard had gotten a promotion to a management position at the bookstore. He'd celebrated the pay bump by showing up at Frank's door with takeout and some skimpy lingerie hidden under his clothes. Not realizing that Frank was running late coming home from the office since they hadn't made plans that evening, Gerard sat on the welcome mat and dug into the noodles so he'd have some before they got cold. Frank found him napping against the door two hours later, half empty containers of food scattered around him. Once he'd apologized profusely and scolded Gerard for not calling him to ask him to come home sooner, he'd convinced his younger boyfriend that accepting a spare key to his apartment was an appropriate step for this stage of their relationship.

"You can still call me if you want to come over, even though you really don't need to. Besides, I'm thinking of getting a house plant and someone would need to water it when I'm gone. I don't trust anyone to be poking through my things except for you, baby."

Two weeks ago, when Gerard announced over dinner that he had enough saved up to pay first and last month's rent at a little place he'd found in the Bronx, Frank was baffled. They'd gone back and forth, with Frank telling Gerard that he was happy the boy was strong and independent but that he really just wanted to live with him, and Gerard stubbornly telling Frank that if he really wanted that then he could just move to the Bronx with him. After some back and forth bickering, a round of sex on the kitchen counter, and a few searches on Apartments.com to prove a point, Gerard agreed to move in on the condition that they split all of the expenses 50/50 and that Frank would finally get "that goddamn house plant."

"Besides, baby, my place is rent controlled and it's got AC. The one you were looking at was cheap now, but you'd be sweating your balls off in the summer and paying double. Why do you think they do six-month leases?"

As they made their way into the apartment, Gerard settled Carl on the side table by the couch where he'd get the most sunlight. Then he turned and ran straight towards Frank, launching himself into his arms and latching his bare legs around his boyfriend's tattooed hips. Frank's hands slid under Gee's skirt to grip the back of his thighs, holding him up and the younger boy kissed and nibbled on the scorpion peeking above the collar of Frank's sweatshirt. His tongue traced along the tail as he made his way up to Frank's ear, nipping at the lobe.

"Minx," Frank said with a laugh as he turned his head to catch Gerard's lips with his own.

"You love it," Gerard murmured against his boyfriend's lips. Frank replied by biting down on Gerard's bottom lip, tugging harshly as he spun the boy around until his back was pressed against the door. His fingertips slipped further up his legs until he was teasing along the edge of the lace panties that Gerard liked to wear under his skirt.

Moving his mouth to the side of Gee's neck, the younger boy's head fell back, thumping against the door while Frank lapped and sucked on the delicate flesh above his collar bone. He loved leaving little marks on Gerard's skin. "My tattoos," the artist always called them, jealous of the art scattered across Frank's body while his fear of needles kept him from doing the same.

Once he was satisfied with the purple mark that now stained Gerard's neck, Frank pushed his hips harder against Gerard's, causing the boy to let out a breathy moan and giving Frank's hands the ability to start pushing up the band shirt, stolen from Frank, that Gee was currently sporting. His fingers made quick work of the knot Gerard had tied around the waist to give it shape and he was tossing it to the floor moments later.

Yanking his own sweatshirt up and over his head, Frank pulled Gerard closer to him as he kissed the boy relentlessly, loving the feeling of skin against skin. Gripping the artist's thighs again, he lifted Gerard from the door and started walking towards his, no _their_ , bedroom. They fell onto the sheets of the perpetually unmade bed and Frank's practiced hand fished the lube and a condom from his bedside drawer. Setting them next to the pillow, his mouth moved to Gerard's ear, knowing how much the boy loved hearing him in the heat of the moment.

"Christ, baby, do you feel what you do to me?" He pushed his erection against Gerard's for emphasis, loving the way the boy's length felt straining against the lace. With the skirt rucked around his hips, Frank knew the seam of his jeans was teasing Gerard in the most delicious way, rubbing against the thin scrap of fabric.

"Fuck--Frankie, please. I need--don't make me wait." Gerard's hips were pushing back against Frank's, meeting him thrust for thrust.

" _Don't make you wait?_ You want to try that again, baby?" Frank reached up to tug at one of Gerard's nipples, knowing how much it drove the boy crazy.

"M'sorry, I just--ungh, fuck," his hips rolled against Frank's as the older man laced his fingers through the hair at the base of Gerard's scalp, tugging lightly and pulling Gerard's mouth up to meet his own. His next words were muffled against Frank's tongue, "please fuck me, Daddy. I need you."

Pushing himself up so he was kneeling in between Gee's legs, Frank quickly pulled the boy's underwear down his legs, tossing them vaguely in the direction of the hamper. While Gerard watched with lidded eyes, Frank slicked his fingers with the lube and began to ease one slowly into Gerard's rim. He was teasing the boy, rubbing the tip of his finger against Gee's prostate, loving the way each press against the bundle of nerves made his his boyfriend's cock twitch and drip with more precum.

As he added another finger and began to scissor them, knowing by now that Gerard enjoyed a little stretch and didn't need much prep, Frank used his other hand to pop open the button of his jeans, unzipped the fly, and pushed the denim down his thighs. Gerard reached down with the hand that wasn't teasing his kiss-swollen lips and gripped Frank through his boxer briefs. Frank groaned at the pressure, bucking his hips forward into his boyfriend's hand.

"Are you ready, Gee?"

" _God_ , yes!" Gerard's voice was dripping with want, and Frank knew there would be time for teasing later. As much as he loved riling the boy up, he'd picked Gerard up from the dorm straight after a week in Seattle, and this was the first moment they'd had alone since Frank had left. Gee had been using the week to pack and spend a little "girl time," as he liked to call it, with his roommate knowing they'd see each other less once he moved out. They'd said a few tearful goodbyes while she threatened Frank within an inch of his life to take care of "their boy," and then the two were riding in the subway towards the apartment they were now going to share.

Gerard had been sure to sit in Frank's lap for the ride, claiming that he was saving space to be polite since they had so many bags. Whether he'd meant to or not, though Frank was fairly certain it had been entirely intentional, Gerard's near-constant wiggling in his excitement to move in with Frank had succeeded in getting them both worked up by the time the train stopped at their station.

Now, as Gerard squeezed Frank's erection, the tattooed man was ready to sink into his boyfriend the way he'd been wanting to since he'd said goodbye to the boy the week before. He was feeling drunk with need, hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his boxer briefs and tugging them down over his swollen cock. He ripped the condom packet open and pulled the rubber ring out. Looking for the lube, he noticed it was already in Gerard's hand.

With a smirk, Gerard squeezed some into his palm, capping the bottle and tossing it aside. Somehow, he managed to wiggle around on the bed so his head was poised over Frank's lap. He wrapped his lips around the tip of Frank's cock, flicking his tongue quickly over the slit, before sinking down in one fluid movement. Frank let out a loud groan, gripping the back of Gerard's head to hold him in place. After a few moments enjoying the heat of his younger boyfriends hot, wet mouth, Gerard lifted his head, snatched the condom from Frank's fingers, and rolled it down his length. He then wrapped his lubed hand around Frank's erection, slicking him up.

"Sorry, Daddy," Gerard said in a voice that Frank knew meant he was anything but, "I just wanted a little taste."

"Fucking hell, baby. Turn around. Hands and knees." His voice was rough with desire and Frank saw the way his words made Gerard's eyes go darker with lust. The younger boy quickly scrambled around on the bed, kneeling on all fours in front of the older man. Frank pulled Gee's skirt up so it was bunched around his hips. He'd always liked the way Gerard looked in his skirts, a mix of punk and plaid that brought all of Frank's fantasies from Catholic school back to life.

Rubbing the tip of his cock over Gee's rim, he gripped the younger boy's hips tightly and pushed in slowly until his hips were flush against Gerard's ass. Reaching around and gripping his boyfriend's cock in his rough hand, Frank began to gently stroke as his hips pumped in and out of the artist. He kept a quick but steady pace knowing that they were both ready to cum after a long week apart.

"Fuck, fuck--Frank, oh my god!" Gerard was always loud in the bedroom, something that turned Frank on to no end. He loved hearing the way the words tumbled over his lips the closer Frank brought him to the edge. Spitting into his hand and stroking Gee's cock a little faster, he listened until he heard exactly what he was waiting for. "You're gonna make me--Frankie, I'm so close. Just, oh my god, Frank--I'm gonna--Oh!"

Gerard spilled into Frank's fist with a loud moan. The boy slumped forward onto the bed, his body twitching and his muscles clenching through his orgasm. Frank quickly wiped his hand on the sheet and gripped Gerard's waist with both hands to keep the boy's ass in the air as he rocked his hips back and forth. Every time he made his boyfriend cum around his cock, Frank was amazed at how tight it felt. It was often enough to make him cum himself, but he liked to try and hold out like he was now.

They'd found over the months that Gerard had a major overstimulation kink, and they'd had fun exploring it. Frank loved making it his personal mission to try and make Gerard cum as many times as he could in one night until the spent boy tapped out or they'd fall asleep in a tangle of sweaty and sticky limbs. Tonight, Frank knew he wouldn't be able to last long enough to give Gerard a second orgasm, but he knew the boy would still go crazy over the feeling of Frank using his sensitive ass.

Frank shifted his hips so the head of his cock would put more pressure on Gerard's prostate with each thrust. He knew he'd hit his mark when Gerard cried out as Frank pushed in, his hands reaching up to clutch at the sheets by his head.

"Oh please, Daddy!" Gerard's moan was swallowed by the pillow when Frank started slamming his cock harder into the artist's tight ass. He could feel his own orgasm building as Gee shook beneath him with the overstimulation. As the boy clenched around Frank, the older man slammed his hips one last time into his boyfriend and spilled into the condom. He waited a few moments, feeling himself begin to soften up, as he held onto the younger man beneath him and gently rubbed the red marks he'd left on the artist's hips.

He pulled out gently and quickly cleaned the two of them up with one of the wet wipes he'd taken to keeping by the bed. Once the traces of cum and lube had been removed from the both of them, Frank pulled the sheet from underneath the boy and wrapped it around them, pulling the blanket up as well from where it had been bunched at the foot of the bed. He guided Gerard to his chest so the younger boy could rest his head on Frank's heart. He'd noticed that Gee loved to gently trace his tattoos with his fingertips when they were curled up this way, and he smiled when he felt the boy's nail lightly scratch against the flame that was inked above his heart.

"I love you, Gee."

"I love you too, Frankie," he heard his boyfriend whisper softly as Frank reached over to turn out the lights. Once the familiar darkness fell around them, Frank pulled Gerard close and they drifted off to sleep together.


	3. Chapter 3

They'd been living together for five months when Frank's world crashed around him. He was working on a report at his desk, slurping at the coffee Gerard had poured into the travel mug he'd made him for Christmas by decorating it in waterproof stickers of his favorite punk bands.

"Iero, get in here. I need to talk to you," the Captain called from his office.

He flopped into the chair across from the Captain's desk, holding his mug in both hands for warmth. He never understood how Cap handled it in the small room. The windows were nice, but they made it so cold in the winter.

"Do you remember that UC gig you applied for? The one for the LCN?" Frank nodded, remembering the long term undercover position he'd been gunning for a few months before he'd met Gerard. It was dangerous--the FBI was trying to infiltrate part of La Cosa Nostra which was the branch of the Sicilian Mafia operating in the United States. The job had gone to a senior agent who had years of experience on Frank. At the time, he was pretty bummed but he'd quickly become thankful for the pass once he'd met Gee.

"Yeah, what about it?" Frank was narrowing in on the odd look on the Captain's face. It wasn't one he'd seen before, not when he had to announce a death in the Bureau, or one when they had a case involving children. This look was different, but it didn't look good.

"They've had a break in the case, and they're needing to pull in another UC. Not as long of a job--three months max, they're estimating. But they've been eyeing you for it."

"Three months? I'd have to talk to Gee. You know I wouldn't be able to make that decision without him. How done of a deal is it? Are they offering me the position, or is it still in the works?" Frank was beginning to understand why the Captain looked like he was about to tell Frank someone had run over his childhood dog. Three months would be a long time away from Gerard. Especially so soon after they'd just moved in together. But it would also be huge for his career.

Before he'd met his boyfriend, Frank had loved going undercover. He had aced his UC and surveillance classes at Quantico, and he'd taken a few cases that allowed him to go undercover for smaller jobs. Frank was certain that his appearance helped him blend in with some of the more unsavory characters he'd had to interact with. He'd told his last handler that his days as a Jersey punk rat gave him "instant street cred," and during his last performance review, Frank had talked to the Captain about doing a longer UC position.

His priorities had changed once he met Gerard. When he first realized it, having gotten annoyed in one of their meetings when the Captain had announced another task force meeting in Chicago less than four days after they'd just gotten back from a three-day sting in Texas, Frank had a minor panic that he was becoming a stranger. After another long term UC position had opened up, something involving a cartel in Columbia, and Frank hadn't even considered applying, he texted Gerard that he'd have to have a rain check on their dinner plans and had gone straight home in a funk. He'd tossed and turned that night, lying awake and thinking about how he'd always put work first, always pushed himself to do better for the agency, and he'd never thought anyone would ever take that part of him away. He thought about asking Gerard for a break, some time apart for him to refocus, but that sent him into a spiral of anxiety that nearly had him hailing a cab to take him to the dorms so he could see Gee and apologize for even letting the thought cross his mind. Still, he couldn't decide if his change in priorities was healthy.

Greta had caught onto his mood during one of their Sunday dinners early on in his and Gee's relationship. She pulled him into the kitchen to help her with the dishes and made him spill what was on his mind.

"I just feel like a different person, Gret."

"That's because you _are_ a different person, Frank. And that's okay. People change when they fall in love. You start to mold your life around someone else, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. What were some of the things you enjoyed before you met Gerard?"

"Work."

"Besides work," Greta said with an exasperated breath, swatting him with the dish towel.

"I don't know--music, probably. I liked playing my guitar and listening to records, stuff like that."

"And now that you have Gee in your life, do you still like playing your guitar? Listening to records?" She turned to face him, drying one of the glasses in her hand as he leaned on his elbows against the counter.

"Well, yeah."

"And did you like those things before you joined the Bureau?"

"Yeah?" Frank wasn't sure where she was going with this, but he trusted her wisdom enough to see her reasoning through.

"Well, when you joined the Bureau, that was like the beginning of a new relationship for you, Frank. You changed and gave up part of your life as an individual to have part of your life with the FBI. You still had things outside of the Bureau, though if I'm honest, you were a bit of a workaholic. But that's who you are--you go all in with the things that matter most to you. And no matter who or what you choose to give a part of your life, at the core, you're still the same person. I promise we would tell you if you weren't, honey." Greta set the glass down and gripped Frank's hands in her own.

"Now you have Gerard, and he's become such an important part of your life. So _yes_ , Frank, you're changing again. You're going all in, and it's scaring you because now you're juggling two important things to share your life instead of just one. It's you, the Bureau, and Gee. As long as you're still happy at the end of the day. If being with Gee makes you happy, that's good. If being at work makes you happy, that's good. And if thinking of a long term undercover assignment doesn't make you happy anymore, that's okay too."

Frank stood up from the stool he'd been sitting on at the counter and pulled Greta into a big hug. She returned it, petting the back of his head in a motherly way and speaking softly. "There are things that made me happy ten years ago that make me cringe now that I'm a mom. Now, my happy is spending time with Carter, reading him books before bed, playing games with him, that kind of stuff. I fell in love with him and I changed, but I'd still consider it one of the best things that ever happened to me."

After Greta's words of wisdom, along with her demanding that Gerard begin joining them for family dinners, Frank began to fall into a positive work-life-love balance, focusing on the things that made him happy. And the things that made Frank the most happy were Sunday nights, punk rock, taking down bad guys, and of course, Gerard. The long term positions that would pull him away from one of his biggest sources of happiness were no longer as appealing as they once were, when he hadn't had that source of happiness in his life. And Frank was okay with that. He was more than okay with that now.

The Captain's words pulled him out of his reverie as he snapped back into the present, sitting in front of his boss as the man talked about this new three-month position undercover in La Cosa Nostra.

"It's pretty definite they're going to offer it to you. You're a good fit."

"Okay. I'll talk to Gee. He's probably going to want to talk to you, too, and Greta. This world is still new for him, ya'know? Sometimes he gets a little scared when there are parts of the cases that I can't talk to him about. The danger aspect scares him, but I try to tell him sometimes it's just a security thing, not a danger thing. I'm not saying I'm gonna take this gig though, Cap, not yet. Just that I'll talk to him about it." Frank made to stand, thinking the meeting was over when his Captain spoke again.

"There's something else I need to tell you, Frank. It's about Gee."

Gerard had been going to Sunday night dinners with the Captain, Carter, and Greta for months now, becoming as integral to the routine as Frank himself was. He'd listen to Cap tell stories about Frank's embarrassing moments involving surveillance mishaps and broken coffee makers, talk superheroes and comic books with Carter, and swap cooking tips with Greta while Frank watched on with more love in his heart than he'd ever thought he'd have in his life. Greta loved Gerard and loved how he loved Frank. She started teaching Gerard to cook and even made him a personalized apron for when he "helped" her on Sunday afternoons.

As it turned out, Gee was pretty helpless in the kitchen but he absolutely loved concocting new recipes. More often than not, Frank would come home to a kitchen that smelled like smoke and some kind of God-awful combination of ingredients. He'd always try to stomach a few bites, sometimes more successfully than others, until Gerard tried a bite for himself and sheepishly ordered backup on Door Dash.

Frank had always lived for those nights, though. He loved when Gerard's creative process spilled over into other areas, whether it was painting the bathroom walls a deep emerald green because it made him feel like royalty when he took a bath, or coming home to find Gerard ripping apart the throw pillows so he could stuff the odd eyeball cushion that he'd sewn after his last shift. Every day was a surprise with Frank never knowing what his boyfriend's mind would come up with next, and yet it was so achingly familiar because that was just _Gee_.

But now, for the first time in their relationship, Frank felt a twinge of unfamiliar in his stomach. The way Cap was looking at him, the way the words sounded, it was making Frank feel like there was something big that he didn't know about his boyfriend.

"Frank, I--there's not an easy way to say this."

"Just spit it out, Cap. You've got to tell me now."

The Captain took a deep breath and leaned back on his desk

"Gerard's family is part of the DeCavalcante's."

Frank felt the air leave his lungs in one breath, like someone had punched him in the stomach. The DeCavalcante family was the branch of the LCN that operated out of New Jersey. He was familiar with them, he'd done his research when the UC position was first offered. But Gerard would've told him if his family was in the Mafia, wouldn't he?

"But, we did a background check. How did we not know this before now? Is Gee--he's not a part of this, is he?" It was standard procedure for a background check to be run on a significant other of an agent. Gerard had known about it, Frank had asked him when they started getting serious. He'd trusted Gerard, but he knew the Bureau liked to be careful. He'd even come into the office with Frank and had gotten his fingerprints registered, just in case anything ever happened to him, Frank had explained.

"We don't have any reason to believe that Gerard had any knowledge of this. He said his father kicked him out of the house when he was fifteen. He may have had some suspicions that there was criminal activity happening, but he was still a child by all accounts, and the children are usually kept away from the details."

"But how did we not know?"

"Gerard's father wasn't a known member to us until recently. Our UC actually identified him as one of the Capos. That was a big part of the ground work for this operation, identifying the unknown branches of the family. When they tapped you for this new opening, that's when the connection was made. They looked at your family file--we've got Gee in there now--and his name matched the name of one of the Capo's sons, so they pulled the background check and found out that they were one in the same."

Frank set his mug on the Captain's desk and buried his face in his hands.

"What do I do? What do we do, Gee and I?"

"I've talked to management, and they want to bring Gerard in for an interview. Just to confirm that he hasn't been in contact."

"Fucking contact? Cap, you've heard him tell it. The man kicked him out on the streets without a second thought when he was fifteen. Fifteen! That boy was homeless for over five fucking years. And you think they've been exchanging Christmas cards during that time?" Frank was fuming, the twinge in his stomach had turned into nausea and he was biting down the urge to vomit over the stress.

"No, Frank, I don't think that at all. You know me better than that, and I know Gee. But the Bureau doesn't. They have a name in a file and an agent they want to bring in on a case with an unfamiliar connection to the target. They want to get the full picture before they make a decision or take any action."

"Can I call him? Christ, Cap, I need to see him. This is gonna break him."

"They've asked that you not speak with him about this before they've had a chance to talk to him. It wasn't my decision, Iero."

"You know I can't keep something like this from him. It's his life." Frank was crying. He wasn't sure when the tears started, but he could feel them rolling freely down his face. He never cried, but this was all too much and it must've broken the floodgates.

"I know, and I told them that. They're going to call him in now, as soon as I give them the go-ahead, and you can talk to him after."

"Can you call him? You know how scared he'll be if it's someone he doesn't know. You've got to tell him that I'm okay. He won't believe it unless he hears it from you, and I don't want him panicking on his way here." He scrubbed at the tears on his face, wincing at the salt stinging his skin.

"I'll ask, okay?"

When the Captain came back into the office a few moments later, after posting Scully outside of the door to make sure Frank didn't make any phone calls, he had a softer look on his face than he'd had breaking the news to Frank.

"They're going to let me call him in, Iero. They've also agreed to let you and I watch the interview from the viewing room, and you'll be able to see Gee right after. Is that okay with you?"

"Nothing about this is okay, Cap." Frank's attitude had turned to anger as the tears faded. Anger at what, he wasn't sure. He understood why the Bureau had to do this, and why the Captain wasn't allowing Frank to talk to Gerard beforehand. He tried to be angry at Scully for grabbing his cell phone when he'd pulled it out to see if Gerard had texted him, but he knew she was just following orders and when he'd seen the look of concern in her eyes as he tried to will the tears away, he knew she was looking out for him.

"I know, Iero. I'm going to give him a call now. We'll get this over with as soon as we can."

The Captain pulled out his cell phone and dialed Gerard's number. Frank could hear the muffled ring against the Captain's ear and until Gerard picked up. He couldn't make out the words on the other end of the line, but he could hear his boyfriend's familiar tone greeting the Captain.

"Hi Gee, are you at work? Okay, good. Would you be able to come down to the office for a few hours? Yeah, as soon as possible." Frank could hear Gerard's voice grow frantic and his heart clenched. "No, hon, he's okay. I promise. He's right here in my office, we were talking about a new case."

The Captain leaned back against the desk and moved the phone to his other ear, further from Frank so it was even harder for the agent to hear. "They're just looking at Frank for a new case and they pulled his file, so they want to bring you in for an interview. Just a few questions, very standard with this type of case. No, Gee, they're not assigning him to a brothel. It's just like when you had your background check, okay? You're Frank's partner, and they're looking at bringing him on this job so they want to ask you a few questions, honey. Yeah, I'll tell him--okay. We'll see you soon, Gee."

When the Captain hung up, he looked at Frank with a soft glance. "He loves you, Iero."

"Yeah, I love him too."

―

Frank watched from the window as Gerard walked up to the Bureau headquarters and disappeared in the front door. Frank knew it would be a few minutes for him to get his visitor's badge and make his way through security, but he held on to the fact that he'd be able to hold Gerard soon. The rock in the pit of his stomach kept growing from his knowledge that his boyfriend was going to have to talk about his family to strangers and to learn things about his life that he should never have to know. Any time Gerard brought up his family, he got emotional. It was a sore subject that he preferred to keep locked away, but whenever he did open up about it, he always looked to Frank for comfort and reassurance, and Frank knew he wouldn't be able to provide it until the interview was over.

The Captain's phone rang and he ushered Frank towards the elevator, leading him through hallways until they got to a small conference room where a laptop was set up with a live feed to the room that held Gerard and two agents Frank had never met before.

"Is Frank okay? Can I see him?"

"You'll be able to see Frank after the interview," the agent on the left who looked like a slightly larger version of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said.

"Could you please confirm for the record your name and date of birth?"

"Oh--is this being recorded? Is the camera on? My name is Gerard. Uh, Gerard Way and my birthday is April ninth. I go by Gee, too, if you need that? That's what most of Frank's coworkers call me. But I guess you're the FBI so you'd know that anyways. Sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous. I don't know why I'm nervous--"

"Thank you, Mr. Way," said the other agent, a beady-eyed and hawk-nosed woman who seemed to have no qualms cutting his boyfriend off. "Could you confirm that you were born in Summit, New Jersey to Donna Rush and Donald Way?"

Frank could see the irritation creeping up in the boy's posture, one of his defense mechanisms anytime a conversation geared towards something he was uncomfortable with. Gerard crossed his arms over his chest and raised one eyebrow, pursing his lips as he stared down the agent. "Well, I don't have many memories of my birth seeing as I was too busy being forcibly pushed out of a vagina to ask for my whereabouts and the attendees, but from what I was told, that sounds accurate to me."

The female agent, Bird Beak, as Frank had taken to calling her in his head, jotted something down on the notebook in front of her before continuing. "Mr. Way, could you please tell us if you've had any contact, direct or indirect, with your immediate family members within the past five years?"

"Why do you need to know," Gerard snapped.

"Please just answer the question."

"As I'm sure you're well aware, my father kicked me out of my home when I was fifteen. I've had no contact with him, or my mother, since that day."

"What about your younger brother, Michael? Have you had any contact with him?"

Frank could see that Gee was crying now. He watched the boy wipe angrily at his tears and he growled under his breath, wanting to protect his boyfriend from this situation.

"No. He was too young to leave home, and my father would've kicked him out too if he'd talked to me. What is this about? Why are you asking me these things? Is it a problem that one of your agents was dating a homeless guy? Is that it? Because I have an apartment now. Frank and I live together, but I pay half of the rent. I'm not some degenerate leech who's trading sex for--"

"Mr. Way, do you have any knowledge of your father's involvement in La Cosa Nostra?"

"La Nostr--what? What is that? Is that some kind of cult?"

"Do you have any knowledge of your father's involvement in the Mafia, Mr. Way," the Mega-Rock asked.

"Are you fucking kidding me? The Mafia? Like--like The Godfather?" Gerard pushed his chair back a few inches and started picking at one of the holes in his tights.

"Please answer the question."

"No, I don't have any knowledge of that. If he's some kind of criminal, that's news to me. He owned the family construction company last I saw him. All I know is he's the asshole who made us sit through six hours of church every Sunday so we'd be God-fearing Catholic boys, lectured us every night at dinner about the importance of family, and then kicked his fifteen-year-old son out on the streets because he didn't raise a 'cock sucking fanook.' _Family_ , my ass."

"Does the name DeCavalcante mean anything to you?" The Mega-Rock leaned back in the chair, studying Gerard's body language. Frank's training allowed him to pick up on how uncomfortable Gee was by the way he was acting, but he hoped that the agents would understand it was due to his long-standing pain over being abandoned rather than him hiding a secret connection to the LCN. Frank trusted Gerard implicitly, but he knew the Bureau had no reason to.

"I don't remember. It sounds familiar, one of my old classmates, maybe? A family friend? I don't know. It's Jersey--half of everyone's Italian. It's not like I enjoy recalling those years. I try not to focus on people who consider me dead to them." Gerard dragged the sleeve of his cardigan under his nose and ran his fingers through his now-frazzled hair.

"To the best of your knowledge, do you recall ever witnessing your father engaging in or discussing illegal activities?" Bird Beak took back over the line of questioning.

"You mean besides the whole child abandonment thing? What, would you like to hear about the time that he slapped me so hard, I got an abscessed tooth from falling into the side table? All because he caught me staring at a shirtless guy on TV? Or maybe you want to hear about when he grabbed me by my neck and threw me across the room after he found a copy of Men's Health & Fitness in my desk drawer?" Gerard was snarling at the agents, his face a deep shade of puce that Frank had never seen before. He stood quickly from his seat, making to find the room where Gerard was being interviewed, but the Captain caught him by the shoulder and stopped him.

"Iero, you can step out and collect yourself if you need a moment, but you _cannot_ see him yet."

" _Fuck you_ ," Frank hissed.

" _Iero_ ," the Captain warned.

Frank took a few deep breaths and muttered an apology to his mentor before sitting back down and refocusing his attention on the screen.

"No, I didn't know he was in the Mafia. I didn't know the Mafia was even a thing anymore, okay? It's not like I was living in Goodfellas. There weren't a bunch of people walking in and out of our house with guns and cheesy accents or whatever. It was just your typical blue collar Jersey family with an asshole who threw out his fairy of a son and a mother who couldn't care less that it happened."

Bird Beak wrote a few more notes while the Mega-Rock asked question after question to Frank's distressed boyfriend. This went on for what seemed like hours, but according to the clock was closer to eighty minutes.

"Did you ever witness your father engaging in the sale or trade of arms?"

"Have you ever had any involvement in the sale of drugs, extortion, or any involvement in laundering money?"

And finally, "Mr. Way, have you ever disclosed information about your father's alleged criminal activity or his involvement in the LCN to your partner, Special Agent Frank Iero?"

That one seemed to rock Gerard to his core. His face blanched and Frank could see him trembling, even through the screen.

"How could I tell him if I didn't know?"

"Please answer the question directly, Mr. Way. Yes or no."

"No. I haven't."

The agents stood and nodded towards the camera, which Frank realized was their indication that they could see Gerard now. Frank was out of his seat and through the door before realizing he had no idea where to go. The Captain followed him into the hallway and gestured towards the elevators again. After going to the floor beneath them, the Captain led Frank past a row of doors until they were in front of a small conference room.

Frank flung the door open and bolted inside, immediately zeroing in on Gerard's slight form, hugging his knees in the chair and silently crying. As he took a few long strides to pull his boyfriend into an embrace, Frank was shocked when Gerard slid off the chair and backed away from the man.

"Did you know, Frankie?" The look of betrayal on Gerard's face hit Frank like a bullet to the chest. He sank to his knees in front of the younger boy, tears beginning to fall down his own face again.

"No, baby, I swear. Cap found out and called me into his office right before he called you. They wouldn't even let me tell you, or talk to you. They said they had to make sure you didn't know first. I'm so sorry, Gee. I'm sorry." Frank's words fell from his lips as the tears dripped down his chin, but they seemed to be enough for his boyfriend who flung himself into the older man's arms.

Frank held Gerard tightly, whispering apologies into the boy's hair. His mind had been going crazy for the past few hours as he'd learned more about Gerard's family. The young boy didn't deserve any of the shitty hand that life had dealt him, and the fact that he'd made the most of what was given to him made Frank all the more amazed at the fact that he was able to call Gee his. But now, as he watched his boyfriend breaking down in his arms over the news that his father was part of a notorious crime family, Frank had never felt more helpless.

He could hear the Captain talking to Bird Beak and the Mega-Rock in the hallway, but he couldn't hear what was being said. He was torn between wanting to give them a piece of his mind over the way they'd treated Gerard during the interview while the boy was clearly in distress, and keeping his hold on his trembling boyfriend. He settled on the latter knowing which one was more important in that moment. When the Captain finally walked into the room, Frank rubbed the back of Gerard's neck with a tender hand to keep him from being startled as the senior agent spoke.

"I won't ask if you're okay, Gee. I know this wasn't something you ever thought you'd hear. But I want to tell you how sorry I am about all of this. You and Frank are family to me, I hope you know, and it pains me to see you hurting." The Captain knelt down next to the pair on the floor and placed a gentle hand on Gerard's back. Frank felt him flinch at the contact, but he pulled his face away from his boyfriend's shoulder to look back at the man.

"Why is this happening now? Did my father do something? Why didn't you tell me this when I got my background check?" Frank shifted Gerard so he was settled more comfortably in his lap and continued to rub circles on the artist's lower back.

"We have reason to believe that your father has been a part of the DeCavalcante crime family for many years now, since before you were born, but we weren't made aware of his involvement until recently. As I'd mentioned on the phone earlier, Frank is being considered for a position on a new case so the Bureau was looking at his file. With your father's information in our database now, they made the connection during that review."

"How did you find out? Did he get arrested?"

"There are parts of this that I'm not able to speak about because of the security clearance around them, and things that I don't even know, but what I can say is that the Bureau has an ongoing investigation regarding the activities of the LCN, and it was during this investigation that your father was identified. He has not been arrested at this point in time."

Gerard's face paled and even from his seated position on Frank's thighs, he swayed like he was about to pass out.

"Mikey--my little brother is there. Is he--is he going to be in trouble?" Gerard's voice was choked with sobs and Frank rubbed his back, burying his face into the boy's hair in an attempt to calm him.

"How old is Mikey," the Captain asked.

"He'd be--he's sixteen now. His birthday's in September."

"Just about the age you were, right? And you didn't know anything about this. It's normal to keep the kids out of these kinds of things. Even if he did know something, the Bureau isn't out trying to arrest minors. Besides, if he's anything like you, he's got a good head on his shoulders, Gee."

"I want him out. He can come live with us, I'm old enough now--I don't want him in that house."

"I can't promise you that right now, or even give you a good answer, hon," the Captain said sorrowfully, "I don't know enough about this case. But I can promise you that Mikey's family, too, and Frank and I will do everything we can to make sure he's safe and for you to be able to see him again."

Gerard wiped the tears from his face and turned back towards his boyfriend.

"I need to go home. I--I don't want to be here anymore. Take me home, Frankie?" Frank looked to his Captain for approval, knowing he was still on the clock.

"Gee, the agents need to speak with Frank before he takes you home. Just for a few minutes. But I can take you to wait in my office if you'd be more comfortable there?" Gerard nodded and allowed Frank to help him to his feet.

"You want me to walk with you back to Cap's office, baby?"

"No," Gerard shook his head, "just go talk to them so we can go home, please."

As the Captain led a tear-stained and bedraggled Gerard out of the conference room, Frank nearly growled when he saw the two agents walk back in.

"Was that really necessary? I know you had to talk to him, but that was borderline hostile." He glared at Bird Beak who showed no remorse for the way the interview had gone. The Mega-Rock, at least, shifted on his feet like he was uncomfortable under Frank's anger.

"Special Agent Iero, as I'm sure you've been made aware by your Unit Chief, we have been considering you for a position in our investigation. I assure you that our questions were entirely necessary to ensure that there would be no conflict in offering you the position."

"So what are you wanting me to do? What's the gig?"

Frank crossed his arms as he stared down at the agents. They gestured for him to sit, taking their respective places across the table from him.

"As you know, we've had an undercover agent working to infiltrate the DeCavalcante crime family. Over the past two years, he's made several connections and successfully identified several formerly unknown made members. He is currently in a position that we're confident would lead him to becoming a capo for the family should a position become available, which would be tantamount in giving us enough evidence to indict Charles Majuri. What we would like you to do is to work as an associate to the family and help us to indict one of their capos, Donald Way."

"Gerard's dad."

"Yes. Given your relationship with the target's son, we realize this is highly unorthodox and it increases the risk, but we're confident in your abilities and feel that you would be our best chance for success. You'd be hired into Way's construction company and begin gathering evidence of his involvement in extorting payoffs through his position in the local labor unions. We've recently turned an informant in Way's company, but we need someone skilled in building a case to finish the job. With your help, we'll be able to get a conviction and open the capo position for our other UC."

"The Cap said it was three months?"

"We believe it shouldn't take longer to gather the evidence needed."

"I need to talk to Gee." Frank shifted back in his seat, closing his eyes and breathing deeply through his nose. He'd been apprehensive about the thought of leaving his boyfriend for a quarter of the year, but now, after seeing how brokenhearted Gerard was, the idea seemed nearly impossible. On the other hand, the chance to convict the bastard that hurt his boyfriend so badly during his childhood would be extremely gratifying.

"We understand. We would need you to keep the details of the case confidential, but you can tell your partner the length of the position, that it would be involving the LCN, and that it's likely you'll be in contact with his father during the duration of your assignment."

"10-4. When do you need an answer?"

"We'd like a decision by sixteen-hundred tomorrow, so we can begin building a background. Here's a packet of paperwork for the position, should you accept."

Frank took the folder from the Mega-Rock and made his way through the building. When he got back to the Captain's office, he saw Gerard sitting on the couch with Scully while she showed him pictures of her cat. While he could still see sadness in his boyfriend's eyes, there was a small smile on his face as he looked at photo after photo. Frank leaned against the door frame as Gee looked up and saw the older man.

"Frankie, did you see this one? Her cat was swimming! In the toilet!"

"Yeah baby, she showed me that one. Crazy cat." He held a hand out to Gee, ready to take the boy back to their apartment. "Are you ready to go home?"

Gerard nodded and stood up from the couch. He gave Scully a big hug, which she wholeheartedly returned, before he crossed the room and pulled the Captain into a hug as well. Once he thanked the both of them for staying with him, Gee walked over to Frank and slipped his hand into his boyfriend's.

"C'mon, sugar. Let's go home."


	4. Chapter 4

Frank and Gerard had spent a long night talking, both about how Gerard was feeling with the information he'd learned, and about the position offered to Frank. Initially, Gerard was heartbroken at the thought of Frank leaving for three months, but Frank quickly assured him that he wouldn't take the job if Gerard didn't want him to. Their relationship was too important for him. As the night continued, Gerard had been asking more questions and considering what would happen if Frank did leave. Currently, sitting on the couch in between Frank's legs and leaning back against the man's strong chest, Gerard was coming to terms with the job that had been offered to the agent.

"You'd meet my father?"

"Probably, yes. But he wouldn't know that I was your boyfriend, or that I even know you."

"Would you arrest him? Is he going to get in trouble?"

"I don't know. I can say that your father is a criminal in more ways than one. If I have the chance to take him down, to make him pay for doing what he did to you? Baby, I would do that in a heartbeat." Frank gripped Gerard's hand where it had been splayed on his thigh and squeezed it tightly.

"But I wouldn't be able to see you for three months."

"No. I'd be living at a UC residence, and the only person I'd see who would know who I really am would be my handler."

"Would we still be able to text and talk on the phone?" Gerard shifted a bit so he could look at Frank, and the older man brushed a fallen lock of the boy's hair away from his face in response.

"No, we wouldn't be able to. I know that sounds scary, but they do it for my safety, ya'know? The more contact I have, the easier it is for me to slip up and say something I shouldn't or for someone to find something that would blow my cover."

Gerard frowned, but Frank could see the wheels turning in his mind.

"You wanted to do undercover before you met me." Frank reached up to hold his boyfriend's face in his tattooed hands, the rough skin of his palms scratching against the soft skin of Gerard's cheeks.

"Yes, but I don't want it anymore. Not in the way I used to, at least. I'm not going to lie and say I don't want to take _this_ case because I do. Your dad's a bastard and this might be my only chance to do something about that. Ever since you told me about what he did, I've thought about what I would do if I saw him. So yeah, I want this, but I want you _more_ , Gee. You can tell me no, and they'll get someone else to do the job, and that's okay."

Gerard nodded sleepily, the emotions of the day and the late hour beginning to catch up with them both. "I want you to do it, Frankie. But I need you to promise me two things: one, I need you to do everything you can to come back to me, okay? And two, I need you to look out for Mikey if you meet him. Just, please make sure he's safe, and if you can, I want you to bring him back to me, too. I want both of you home with me."

Frank looked the boy in the eyes and tried to pour out as much of the love that he felt into his boyfriend's gaze. Pressing a soft kiss to Gee's lips, Frank lingered a hair's breadth apart and whispered, "I promise, baby. I swear it."

―

Five weeks later, Franco DeLuca was driving his rusted pickup truck towards Kearny, New Jersey to meet his handler at his new house. Gone from his person were all traces of Frank Iero, his wallet replaced with cards sporting his new name. He tried finding a good station on the stereo, but nothing seemed to fit his current mood as he drove away from everything he loved.

But Frank had to focus. He had a job to do, especially if he wanted to be able to enact his latest revenge fantasy and arrest his boyfriend's father. He had to push those thoughts out of his mind. If he wanted to build a case that would have Donald Way rotting in prison, he'd have to make good with the man first.

Saying goodbye to Gerard that morning had been difficult. The younger boy had cried as he clung to Frank's shirt, not ready for the agent to leave. He'd eventually relented, kissing Frank with more passion than he knew the artist had before pushing the older man into the apartment's hallway and shutting the door behind him. Frank could hear Gerard's muffled sobs from the other side of the entryway and it broke his heart, but he'd held himself together until he was in the cab of the pickup truck parked in the street. Then, he'd allowed himself five minutes to cry hot, angry tears and punch the steering wheel a few times for good measure.

He knew what he was doing was important, and he was excited at the opportunity to work UC again, but he was worried about what he was leaving behind. Frank had been trained for this, but Gerard hadn't, and the younger boy was being thrown into weeks of not having the person he'd been leaning on for support there. Weeks of uncertainty over what Frank was doing, who he was with, and not knowing if Frank was in the dangerous situations that he knew had to be coursing through Gee's mind. Frank knew the Bureau had support systems in place for family members of their UC agents, but he couldn't help feeling guilty knowing that the only person his boyfriend wanted was walking out of his life for three months.

After five minutes, he'd managed to calm himself down, writing Gerard's name with his fingertip on the tattoo he'd gotten the weekend after accepting the UC position. It was a large heart with an arrow through it on the top of his hand. Stretched across the heart was a blank banner, and he'd told himself that once he was back home with his boyfriend, he'd get Gee's name inked in the empty space. For now, the unadorned skin would only be filled with the ghost of letters traced with a calloused fingertip, spelling out exactly who his heart belonged to.

Frank ran through his alias in his mind to distract himself from the pothole-riddled road that led the way to Kearny. Franco Lorenzo DeLuca, born July 5th, 1992 to Lorenzo and Anita DeLuca in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was second cousins by marriage on his mom's side to John "Hambone" McGuire, the mob soldier turned criminal informant who'd be introducing Franco to Donald Way. He worked as a foreman for the Capo's construction company and had set up an interview for Frank to be hired. Franco didn't have the cleanest record-- there were a few illegal gambling charges, a DUI, a couple of misdemeanors for possession, and one domestic assault charge from when he'd caught his last girl, Anita, cheating on him with his cousin Tony. DeLuca had moved to Florida after high school with his mother but he was making his way back up to Jersey to try and clean up his act.

As Frank continued to recite facts about his new life in his head, he followed the GPS until he pulled into the driveway of his new house. It was a small, rundown rental, something that would fit the types of jobs he had on his new resume, mostly construction and landscaping. There was a U-Haul already parked in the street, and Frank could see his handler unloading boxes from the back and setting them on the lawn. Frank turned off the ignition and hopped out to help.

"Dewees," Frank said in greeting as he took a surprisingly heavy box from the bearded agent.

"DeLuca. You ready to get settled in, man?" Frank nodded and fished the set of house keys he'd gotten from the office the day before from his pocket, making his way to the front door to unlock it. His eyes were immediately assaulted with bright olive shag that looked like he'd still hear disco music if he pressed his ear to the ground and wood paneling as far as his eyes could see, which wasn't very far because it was a tiny one-bedroom house and the hallway was only about five feet.

"Classy, right? It's got a real nice contemporary vibe going," Dewees snorted from behind Frank.

"Fuck off, dude. This is my house you're insulting" Frank shot back with a grin. In truth, the house reminded him of his childhood home, and the nostalgia was inviting. Had he actually bought this house, he could've easily imagined working on the weekends to tear out the terrible floral wallpaper he'd just discovered in the kitchen. Smiling, he thought of Gerard camped in the three seasons room off the living room with his easel, painting pictures of infected zombie hoards infiltrating their backyard.

"You want me to get you a plastic slipcover for the couch? Maybe my gran's china cabinet?" Frank turned and slugged Dewees' arm after he'd dropped the box labeled "Kitchen Shit" on the counter top.

The two men continued to unload boxes and secondhand furniture from the Bureau's warehouse and Frank's own apartment. They'd given him a small stipend for clothing, but most of his wardrobe had come from his own closet, the band shirts and baggy jeans fitting the persona. Still, he'd picked up a few extra flannels from the Salvation Army near Gee's work and a pair of heavy-duty work boots. Gerard had thankfully helped him break them in, making them look worn and worked in. He remembered walking into their kitchen to find Gerard beating the leather with the hammer they kept in the junk drawer, his homicidal-like enthusiasm clashing brilliantly with the Count Chocula pajama shorts and vintage Polly Pocket shirt he'd practically drooled over when he'd found it during one of their outings. The memory made him smile.

Several hours and two pizzas later, Frank's furniture was in place and the boxes had all been moved in and were ready for him to unpack. He watched as Dewees rooted through one of the boxes on the floor of the living room and pulled out a black laptop.

"Aside from my monthly visits and your phone, this is your only connection to me, DeLuca. There's a secure VPN set up for you, and you'll need to make sure you're always logged in to it before you even think about emailing case information to me, got it? My number's in your phone, call or text whenever but don't be weird about it-- I'm not here to be your friend, no matter how lonely you get. My cover's not as deep as yours and you don't want people looking into me."

"Yeah, got it." Frank went to grab the laptop from him but Dewees pulled it back, keeping it just out of his reach.

"I want you to know this is a privilege and if I find out you're not being smart about it, I can take it back at any time, okay? A privilege. You must have some pull with someone because we don't normally do this, fuck. You get a once-a-week video call back home, Thursday nights at eight." Frank's heart felt like it was going to leap out of his chest at the thought of being able to talk to Gerard during the assignment. "Your unit chief is dropping another laptop off with your man, and you'd better make damn sure you're both on the secure network. They're not going to be monitored or recorded so you do what you want to do, but if I even get a _whiff_ of you talking about things he doesn't have clearance for, I'm pulling the plug. Wear your headphones, and be careful what you say on those calls. The house is clean for now, but I'm only going to be sweeping it when I visit."

After a few more rules from Dewees and a couple lighthearted jabs, his handler was walking out of the small brick house and climbing back into the U-Haul. He rolled down the passenger window and leaned over in the seat so Frank could hear him. "Make sure you get your beauty sleep tonight, DeLuca. You've got that interview tomorrow and you don't want to look like shit." Frank laughed from the front steps and gave him the one-fingered salute before making his way back into his new home for the next three months.

―

The next morning, Frank found himself sitting in the lobby of Way's Commercial Construction, if he could even call it a lobby. It reminded him more of the waiting area at the mechanic shop he used to take his mom's car in to for an oil change when he was in high school. Frank was currently seated in one of three plastic cushioned chairs that looked, and felt, like they'd been ordered from the bargain section of a Cintas catalog. They were awkwardly placed near a side table that was bound to collapse the second another magazine would be carelessly tossed onto it. A small kitchenette tucked into the corner hosted an industrial coffee maker and a microwave that probably couldn't hold a full bag of popcorn. The sink was covered in limescale and Frank was honestly terrified of what he'd find if he opened the mini fridge.

There were three doors on the back wall. Two were clearly offices, both with name plates that read "D. Way," and a third door that Frank wasn't sure about but could've been anything from a file room to a coat closet. To Frank's right was a reception desk, and there was a girl behind it who couldn't have been a day over twenty. Every time he looked over at her, he'd catch her staring and she'd blush furiously before shuffling the papers or the pen cup on her desk. He didn't fail to notice how the neckline of her shirt had been pulled a couple of inches further down her chest, showing off an obscene amount of Wonderbra cleavage for the workplace. In his mind, Frank laughed at how far she was barking up the wrong tree. The door to the office opened and Frank saw a face he knew from both his files and a brief encounter at the office.

"Hambone," Frank exclaimed in a friendly greeting to his new cousin, "how've you been? How's your ma?"

The older man turned around to give Frank a once over, and Frank saw a familiar look in his eyes. He'd seen it plenty of times before in CIs and he recognized it instantly; it was the fear of being caught and the guilt over betraying his friends and family. He knew John had been coached on how to not over act, what to say, and that sort of thing by their agents, but this look was instinctual and something that Frank knew would take more than a few drills at the office to wipe away.

"Uh, yeah. She's good, man. You?"

"Ma's doing alright. She's been calling me twice a night since I got here, but you know how they are. Hey, thanks again for setting this up. Are you interviewing me?"

"No--I gotta get to a site. You'll be talkin' to the boss." Frank walked with Hambone as the older man stumbled to the coffee pot and poured a large cup of oily black coffee into one of the communal mugs cluttering the counter. Draining it in one gulp, Ham gripped the empty mug and stared at Frank, not quite making eye contact. Frank wasn't rattled and kept his cool, slapping the man on the arm with a grin.

"Well, hey, I'll let you get going, cousin. Give my best to your Ma and Pops and tell 'em I'll see 'em for dinner soon. I've just gotta get settled in." Frank let his accent grow heavier on his tongue. "Hopefully I'll be seeing you around here more too."

"Yeah, I'll tell 'em. Uh, good luck--DeLuca." Hambone dropped the mug in the sink and walked over to the reception desk to grab some files she had ready for him. Frank couldn't help but notice the scowl she gave his cousin as he leered down her shirt from his standing position. Not that he wouldn't have been able to see down it had she been standing, with the way she'd been tugging down at the fabric to try and get Frank's attention. Before Ham could leave, one of the D. Way doors opened and a short, rotund man with slicked black hair and Gerard's nose strode out.

"McGuire, you trying to convince Nicole there to give you a chance? How many time do I have to tell you my niece is too young for you?"

"No, sir! I was just grabbing the permits."

The boss, who Frank recognized from his case files as Donald Way, let out a barking laugh and slapped his foreman on the back.

"Relax, McGuire. Is this your cousin over here?" Frank took the opportunity to stand and greet his boyfriend's father.

"Yes, sir. I'm Frank DeLuca. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me this morning." Frank firmly shook the man's hand, internally cringing over knowing how many times this hand had struck his boyfriend as a child. On the outside, he kept a polite smile as he stared into the dark eyes of his hopeful new boss.

"Ah, the nepotism interview. I'm Donald Way. John, here, speaks highly of you."

"He's a good guy, Ham is, but you already know that."

"That I do. McGuire, let me know if the Kaplan job gives you any issues. We'll talk later. As for you, Mr. DeLuca, why don't you follow me into my office and we'll begin the interview."

Frank followed the Capo into the office and immediately noticed the stale stench of cigars. If Way wasn't a walking cliche for a mob man, Frank thought to himself. The undercover agent sat in the chair across from his desk, adjusting his posture so he was slouched the slightest bit, as Frank knew a power play with the man would not end well. Way pulled out a copy of the resume Hambone had passed along and began to review it.

"Franco DeLuca, you just moved back to Jersey from Florida, is that right?"

"Yes, sir. I moved there with my mother after college, but I thought a change of pace would be good so I'm back now."

"A change of pace?"

"Yes, sir. My parents split up when I was in high school, and when Ma and I moved south, I was dealing with some anger. Acted out, got myself into a little trouble. Heading back home sounded like a good idea when I saw how much I was upsetting my mom, I guess. She means the world to me and I didn't want to keep disappointing her. Family's everything, ya'know?" Frank knew Hambone was supposed to have told Way about DeLuca's record so he figured the man would appreciate a more honest approach.

"I can understand that. I have a son a little younger than you, and I worry about him often." Frank tried to keep a neutral expression, wondering if Way was about to bring up Gerard, but the man continued. "Michael's got a good head on his shoulders, but I wouldn't be a good father if I didn't make sure he knew right from wrong. The fact that you recognize your mistakes and you care for your mother says a lot about you." 

Frank had to hold in the scoff that was threatening to break through at Way's thinking he was a good father. The interview continued with Way asking Frank about his qualifications, his experience with concrete, and his knowledge of job safety. As the interview wrapped up, the Capo stood to shake Frank's hand once again.

"We'll give your references a call this afternoon, but as long as everything checks out, you've got the job. Any family of McGuire's is family of mine. We'll see you here tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM to go over the new-hire paperwork." Frank knew the phone numbers on his resume were routed to the case agents, and if anyone were to look up the companies in his job experience, they'd find dummy websites set up by the Bureau's IT department made to look like real businesses.

"Thank you, sir! I'll be here at eight sharp. I really appreciate this opportunity."

"Welcome to the crew, DeLuca."

―

That evening, as Frank laid in bed alone for the second night, his thoughts kept drifting to Gerard. Greta had promised to call and check in with his boyfriend nightly during the first week, and as often as she could for the rest of the time Frank was away. He knew the Captain would be checking in with the younger boy as well, and they'd asked Gee to help watch Carter for a few days a month when he wasn't working. Gee's old roommate was supposed to be spending the night tonight as well to keep him company, knowing that this first week was going to be the worst for the artist. Scully had even promised to take Gerard out instead of Frank for their weekly drink dates.

Frank remembered the first time he'd told the younger boy that he loved him. They'd been together for about three months and Frank had taken him to the New York Botanical Gardens for a date. After wandering through the grounds outside, taking in all of the trees and flowers, they'd found themselves in the Conservatory, cuddled up on a bench while Gerard drew on the sketchbook he always carried with him.

They weren't talking but the silence was far from awkward. It was comfortable, settling around them like a soft blanket, shielding them from business of the world around them. Frank felt peaceful and happy with the young boy curled up against him, tucked into his favorite place under Frank's arm with his head leaning against the his boyfriend's strong chest. 

He'd peeked around Gee's arm to look at what the artist was sketching, and he was surprised to see a picture of the two of them, curled up on the bench as they were right now. It made Frank smile and he made a mental note to get the sketch from Gerard when he was done so he could hang it on their fridge.

"You don't usually draw yourself, baby. I really like this picture."

"I don't normally like to."

"Why's that?" Frank was curious. He imagined it was more difficult to draw something you didn't have in front of you, but he'd seen plenty of sketches of himself that Gerard had done without having him there for reference, so he wasn't sure if that was actually the reason.

"I don't know--I guess it's kind of like when people don't like to look at themselves in the mirror because they just see the bad things, but when I'm drawing it on paper, it's like I'm immortalizing those feelings. I'm having to create them on a page where they'll be forever and it always makes me sad."

"What kind of bad things do you see?" Frank wondered what flaws Gerard saw in himself. He knew everyone had those, it was hard not to be self-critical, but Frank honestly couldn't think of a single thing that Gerard could say. The boy was beautiful, inside and out, and Frank wanted to know so he could do his best to help Gee see himself through Frank's eyes.

"I always felt alone when I was drawing myself. I'm always on the outside watching everyone else, so when I'd turn the pencil on myself, it made me feel like I didn't have anyone, like I didn't belong anywhere. But I don't feel that when I'm with you. You make me feel like I belong and that we have each other." Gerard's fingers were moving across the paper as he added some crosshatching to shade an area under the bench. Frank gently reached around him and stilled the boy's hands, turning Gee so they were facing each other on the bench.

As Frank brought his hands up to the boy's face and brushed a few loose locks of hair back, he looked into Gerard's eyes and whispered the words that had been balanced on the edge of his lips for longer than he should've admitted. "I love you."

As Frank thought about the rest of that day, drifting off to sleep in his bed in the UC residence, he was filled the warm memories of Gee's happiness radiating through giggles and kisses, the sound of a returned, "I love you too," in his boyfriend's soft voice, and shared smiles throughout the rest of the gardens until they returned home and had tumbled into Frank's bed together. The older man had made a vow to himself after that date to spend every day continuing to make Gerard feel loved. And now, while he was away and unable to keep that promise himself, he knew he could trust his family to take care of his boy, the family that had welcomed Gerard without hesitation and adopted him into their fold.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Completely unrelated to the story, but I went to take a shower this morning and had to take off my glasses as most people do before they get in. When I opened the curtain, I straight up screamed and fell on my butt, smacking my head on the sink, because I saw a snake on the floor of the tub. My partner came running in for the rescue and then lost it. Apparently my blind ass thought the outline of my hair that I neglected to clean up from my previous shower was a snake that had somehow climbed up through our plumbing to hang out in the second-floor bathtub. So that's how my day is going so far.
> 
> On a different note, all aboard the adult content train for this chapter. There's some stuff at the end that's not for innocent eyes.

The next two weeks were filled with Frank learning on the fly. He'd considered himself to be a handy and fairly fit person, but he was learning quickly that commercial construction was a different beast. At the end of each day, Frank went home sore and covered in bruises from manhandling the drilling equipment and wading through almost a foot of wet cement on the high rise they were working on. Frank's first attempt at helping to build scaffolding gave him flashbacks to the Liatorp entertainment center he and Gee had bought from Ikea.

"C'mon, Frankie, it's gonna tie the whole room together and it's got enough shelves for the Star Wars miniatures _and_ the records!" Gerard bounced on his heels, observing from a safe distance while Frank was sprawled on their living room floor surrounded by particleboard and screws.

"Fuck's sake, Gee, there aren't even words on these instructions! I don't know where this panel is because we've already put that section together--oh goddamn it, now I've got to take this apart. I need the Allen wrench--yes, the 'tiny metal cane thingy.' Jesus H. Christ, we're never doing this again."

The only difference from that debacle and the scaffolding was that if a shelf fell on the entertainment center, no one would die. Frank was half tempted to write to the Academy at Quantico and beg for them to add a commercial construction class to the roster because no amount of physical fitness aptitude tests could've prepared his body for this kind of torture. Frank knew he'd never make jokes about the construction crews in the city slacking off again when he saw them standing around on a site. Eight hours of heavy duty manual labor per day, half of which were spent on his knees or bent over at awkward angles--Frank took every single break he was offered.

After a particularly nasty afternoon of laying rebar, the agent-turned-laborer was looking forward to a hot shower only to find himself stepping face first into a blast of ice-cold water. He'd reignited the pilot light on the hot water heater, but knowing the shitty tank would take hours to reheat, he collapsed in the bed instead, slightly damp and thoroughly beaten. Thankfully, he only had a few more days on this job before renovations were scheduled to start in the main office.

The Bureau had found out from Hambone that Donald Way was planning on gutting their office and updating it for a more "professional" appearance. That had prompted the agency to put a UC on the job with Ham promising that as the senior foreman, he'd be able to assign the undercover agent to the in-office renovations. It would give Frank the chance he needed to take a look at the business side of things and hopefully find some evidence that would be helpful to the case. He'd have to be careful, of course. He hadn't been hired in to mess around with the paperwork, but the agent figured he might have an in with the receptionist, Nicole.

Her last attempt at flirting when he'd come back to fill out his new-hire paperwork involved even more cleavage combined with obnoxiously batting her eyelashes until one of her mascara-caked falsies dislodged itself and fell off of her eyelid and onto the top of her left tit. Had he been in a different situation, Frank would've been tempted to recite Gerard's diatribe on the amazing performance of Duo glue from the two weeks when he was exploring drag makeup as a form of "artistic expression."

Frank remembered coming home from JFK to find Gerard sitting cross-legged on the living room floor surrounded by makeup palettes and paint. His face was covered in various shades of purple and black with a glitter lightning bolt, à la David Bowie, running down the side of his face. Following a game of cat and mouse with Gerard chasing the agent around the living room trying to convince the older man that a matching lightning bolt would look fantastic, they'd compromised with Gerard getting to put a layer of neon liquid lipstick on Frank's pouting mouth. Frank did have to admit, though, the mischievous glimmer of satisfaction in Gee's eyes as his electric blue painted lips teased the artist to no end while he blew him to an orgasm might have made the chase worth it.

Later, when Frank was helping Gerard try to peel the "magic boob tape" away in the shower--

"It hurts, Frankie! Can't you just rip it off like a band-aid?"

"Baby, you used _duct tape_. I'm worried it's gonna take your skin off if I do that."

\--Frank made Gerard promise he'd find alternative ways of making cleavage if he continued this in the future, even after Gee had wailed about how the drag queens on YouTube had said it was one of the easiest methods for beginners. That night, Frank had set about ordering a pair of chicken cutlets and a Wonderbra for his boyfriend, just in case the artist decided to continue on his mission of enhancing his naturally flat chest.

The first morning of his new shift working on the Way office renovations, Frank woke up with a spring in his step. He could handle framing a few rooms and knocking down some drywall, and he was finally going to get the chance to get a better idea of how the Capo was running things. He was two weeks into the assignment and all he had to show for it were a wicked set of blisters and a nasal cavity full of concrete dust.

None of the guys on the site would've had anything to do with the racketeering happening. They were only required by the union bylaws to strike if the union voted for it, and with the amount of people and pull the DeCavalcante's had on the boards of the local LiUNA chapters, they'd have no problem getting the popular vote to halt construction in most of the Tri-state area if they didn't get their payments from the developers they were extorting. If Frank was going to get any evidence, he was going to have to get his hands on the books.

Frank met Hambone at the office along with a guy named Bryar. They'd met when Frank had joined the company and he was quick to notice that Bob, or Bryar as he reminded everyone he preferred to be called, was a man of few words and those few words were mostly unintelligent insults. In some ways, he reminded the agent of a bear waking up from hibernation. Large, angry, and always looking like he was still a bit groggy after waking up from a six-month nap. Frank eyed Bryar as the man started harshly slapping the industrial coffee maker, eventually giving up and slamming the empty mug back onto the counter.

"Nikki, this fuckin' piece of shit is broken again," Bob hollered across the room at the receptionist.

"Do I look like a mechanic, Bryar?" She shot him a scathing glare before crossing the room to try and fix the machine for him. Frank tried to stifle a snort when she pressed the "brew" button and coffee immediately began to flow into the pot, but it led to him choking and having a coughing fit while Hambone smacked him on the back. Bryar flipped him off and stomped back towards the pair, coffee in hand. Once everyone was recovered and caffeinated, Ham led them through the agenda for the week. Today, it would just be the two of them so they could clear out the back half of the building where they were going to start construction. It was currently being used for storage, but the new plans had them framing out five offices and a break room in the space. Ham left to go back to the high rise site leaving Bryar and Frank to start hauling file boxes and furniture out of the back.

―

The first day that Frank met Mikey, he was unprepared for the rush of emotions that he would feel for a complete stranger. Maybe there was something special about the two Way brothers, because Frank had fallen for Gerard quicker than he'd thought possible. And now, as he looked at the scrawny teen who was staring back with an unreadable expression, Frank was hit with a surge of protective big brother vibes that were largely foreign to him seeing as he was an only child.

Had he not seen photos of the kid in the file he'd gone through before he'd started the assignment, he was fairly certain he wouldn't recognize Mikey as Gerard's brother based on looks alone. Mikey was sharp and angular with a jawline that looked like it was cutting through his skin, while Frank was used to worshiping the soft curves and round, cherubic face of his boyfriend. Their eyes, though, that's where Frank could see Gerard in the boy standing by the file cabinet in front of him. He had the same wide, hazel eyes that Gee had, a trait that Frank had seen was passed down from their mother. Unlike Donna, however, Frank could see the same innocence in Mikey's gaze that Frank had come to adore.

As Frank had learned from Nikki's incessant chatter while she followed Frank around the office whenever he was in the front part of the building, Gee's younger brother came in every day after school to help with some of the general paperwork. It was mostly sorting through the invoices and new project files, and covering the phones for the last part of the day since Nikki was only part-time. _Thank God_ , thought Frank when he'd learned that piece of information. According to Mikey's mother, he had an eye for numbers and was going to make a great accountant one day, even though as the weeks continued, Frank always caught the grimace he made whenever she began talking about his future. It was the same grimace he made whenever his father talked about him taking over the family business instead. Frank noticed he was careful, though, and the kid had a killer poker face whenever his parents were watching. 

During this first interaction, however, Frank was the one wearing a mask as he tried to cover up the brotherly love he was feeling for Mikey and his desire to introduce himself rather than his alias. He pasted on a friendly grin and held his hand out for a shake, taking a few steps forward so they were within arms reach.

"Hey man, are you Michael?" Frank had also noticed that Gerard seemed to have been the one to call him Mikey, and everyone else in the kid's life seemed to refer to him by his birth name. Frank had to be careful with that, knowing the nickname might raise alarms and cause suspicion.

"Yeah," the teen said with a guarded voice, taking Frank's hand in his own.

"I'm Frank. I'm new, but Ham's got me working on the renovations here."

"Nice to meet you." Mikey turned back towards the set of drawers and continued filing their paid invoices into the respective folders. Frank thought of how Gerard talked about Mikey, a lively kid who would sneak into his room at night so they could stay up late under the covers reading comics with a flashlight and talking about monster movies. The teen standing in front of him now looked like a shell of the boy that Gerard used to know. Still, Frank had made a promise to his boyfriend so he decided to try and push Mikey into a conversation, to get to know him and connect if he could.

"So I know this is a long shot, but is there any chance you like comics? You're the first guy I've seen since I moved back that looks remotely like you might be into 'em."

Mikey paused and stared at Frank skeptically, as if he was thinking it might be a trap, like Frank looked more like the type of guy to beat someone up for being a nerd than admit that he read comic books. "Yeah, I like them. Why?"

"I was going to see if you knew any good shops in the area, ya'know? My old stomping ground is closed-- I practically lived at Metropolis when I was a kid. I haven't had a chance to really check any other places out yet so I figured I'd ask." His mom had always known to call over to the shop on the nights when little Frankie was late to dinner, knowing he was probably following one of the older teens around the shelves trying to beg Magic cards off them so he could build his own deck. Frank wasn't lying to Gerard when he'd told his boyfriend that he was a nerd when he was younger, not that he'd grown out of it either.

He remembered the first time Gee had found out the tattooed punk used to play Dungeons & Dragons. They'd been walking through one of their favorite comic shops in Manhattan when Frank got distracted by a shelf of D&D books. Recognizing a familiar title, he'd pulled it off the rack and excitedly began to tell Gerard all about one of the best campaigns he'd ever played. He barely registered the way his boyfriend had started squirming and biting his lip until the skirt-clad artist grabbed him by the hand and yanked him towards the bathrooms in the back hallway of the store. Locking the door behind them and pressing him into a series of wet kisses, Gee had dropped to his knees on the grimy floor and yanked Frank's pants down his thighs, begging the man to tell him all about his level sixteen half-elf sorlock before dropping his jaw and taking Frank all the way in until the tip of his cock was pushing down Gerard's throat.

Frank blushed, realizing he'd been thinking about fucking his boyfriend's mouth while standing in front of Gerard's baby brother. It wasn't his fault that Gee had a nonexistent gag reflex and an apparent kink for nerdy dirty talk. Regardless, Frank tried to shake his thoughts back to the present before he popped a boner and scarred the younger Way. Thankfully Mikey didn't seem to notice Frank getting lost in thought as he answered the agent's question.

"Paradox is the one I normally go to. They've got pretty good stock in-house, and the girl who works on Saturdays always finds the best series if you're looking for something new. What kind of stuff do you like to read?"

"I grew up on Gaiman, and Morrison, and Moore. The Sandman is still one of my absolute favorites to this day--like, that shit was dark and twisted and epic, right? I like the darker stuff, but classic superheroes are cool, too. Who doesn't love a good 'save the world' moment? What about you?"

The corner of Mikey's mouth lifted before he spoke. "I love Gaiman. I've been reading this series called Neverboy. You should check it out if you're into twisted shit. It was only, like, a six-issue run but it's great. I'm on the third right now. You can borrow the first issue if you want, as long as you promise not to get Cheeto-fingers or anything on it."

"Rad! Thanks, man," Frank said with a smile. "Have you ever read Peter Panzerfaust? I've been working on that series lately. It's this cool sort of Peter Pan-World War II cross."

The two devolved into an intense conversation about their favorite issues of various comic runs until Frank was summoned back to the construction zone by an angry Bryar. He cracked up at Mikey's dry joke about his dad hiring the Juggernaut, turning to wave goodbye to the teen before disappearing into the back of the building for the rest of the afternoon.

―

About a week and a half later, two of the new offices were framed when Bryar sent Frank out to the reception desk to get the drawings for the new break room. Apparently his joke about them eyeballing it wasn't appreciated by the gruff blonde, and Frank's punishment was having to ask "Nip Slip Nikki" to print the files from the project file on the plotter. That meant at least ten minutes of her pushing her cleavage up with her biceps while she typed and ten minutes of Frank trying to keep his eyes on anything else. Unfortunately, the sight was like a car wreck and he kept catching himself staring while he wondered exactly how much of her boob was left in her bra because it seemed like most of it was spilling over the top.

"Nicole, pull your shirt up. What's a nice Catholic girl like you doing showing off the goods to a man older than your brother. You're too young for Frank," Donna said pointedly at her niece from the doorway of her office. She carried a stack of paperwork over to the reception desk and put them in the basket for Mikey to file before grabbing the drawings from the plotter and handing them over to Frank. Behind Donna, Frank could see Donald Way hanging up from a phone call at his desk and cautiously eyed the man as he made his way out to where they were all gathered around Nikki.

With a glint in her eyes that gave Frank a twinge in his gut having seen the same look from Gerard, Donna leaned towards Frank and poked his arm with her too-long acrylic nail. "Nicole's got an older sister, Carla, who needs a nice man to settle down with. I can give her a call, have her come in for lunch."

"That's really nice of you, but I'm not looking for a girl right now, Miss Donna," Frank said with a blush and a tight smile.

"What, are you a fairy? She's got tits and knows how to cook, what more do you need?" Mr. Way narrowed his gaze on Frank, eyeing him suspiciously as if turning down his wife's matchmaking automatically condemned Frank to a life of homosexuality.

Frank "Nah, I just got a girl down in Florida. She's in school right now but I'm gonna get a ring on her finger soon."

Donna let out an obnoxious "aww," the way Frank remembered his mom doing any time a man brought up anything the slightest bit romantic. Nicole just glared with a jealous look on her face while Donald asked, "what's she doing down there? She didn't want to move up here with you?"

"She's in school, studying business or some shit like that, I don't know. She wants to open up a bakery here when she graduates. Fuck, she makes a mean panettone, let me tell you. Can't cook to save her life, but I've got that handled. My nonna, God rest her soul, she taught me well."

"Oh, he's a romantic _and_ he cooks," Donna clutched at her chest like she was about to swoon. If only she knew that her own son was the love of Frank's life and the only object of his romantic intentions. Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Don nodded gruffly and slapped the agent on the shoulder. Thankfully, Bryar shouted to him from the office they were framing and gave Frank the out he was looking for to escape from the conversation about his love life.

"DeLuca! Did you get those prints, or are you just going to stand there all day gossiping?" Frank smiled apologetically at Gee's parents and gave Nicole a tentative nod as he made his way back towards the construction zone, drawings in hand.

―

Before he'd taken the undercover assignment, Saturday mornings used to be Frank's favorite part of the week. He and Gerard would sleep in for as long as they could, which was usually about nine in the morning for Frank and ten for Gee since Frank couldn't ever help but to run his fingers up and down the boy's arms and dust sleepy kisses on his stomach. He was always sure to sneak out of the bed and start the coffee pot first, though, so he could hand Gerard a warm cup of caffeine to make the waking up a little bit better.

They'd fallen into a routine of sleepy morning sex followed by Saturday morning cartoons in bed, courtesy of Netflix, while they sipped their coffees. Frank would usually pour them both a bowl of sugary cereal and almond milk--Gerard had gotten on board the lactose-free train after realizing how small their fridge was when it was stuffed with leftover takeout and finding that two separate containers of milk just crowded it more--and they'd carefully eat them on top of the blankets to ease them out of their post-coital fog.

They'd become a brunch couple, much to Frank's chagrin with Scully never passing up on the chance to tease him for it, but it was mostly because Gerard absolutely loved the word "brunch" itself. In reality, they'd just wind up in one of the many diners near their apartment that served all-day breakfast. Frank would get a salad or a sandwich, usually, and Gerard always wound up with strawberry waffles and bacon. The rest of their day would depend on their schedules, with Gee sometimes working the afternoon shift at the bookstore or Frank needing to get in a long-overdue workout. No matter what, though, as long as Frank was in town, their Saturday mornings were spent together.

After taking the undercover assignment, Frank found himself looking forward to Thursday nights more than anything. Twice now, Mikey had caught Frank bouncing on his toes while watching the clock in the office and Bob had practically strangled the agent for knocking over an open bucket of framing screws in his excitement. He'd 'fessed up to them both, telling them about his Thursday night Skype dates with his girlfriend in Florida, Gianna. Bob called him a jackass regardless, though he let out a low whistle when Frank showed him a staged photo of himself on a beach with a tan girl in a bikini.

Gerard had laughed so hard during that photo shoot, which the Captain had invited him to in an effort to make Frank more comfortable, that he almost peed himself. At one point, the photographer had to send Gee out of the room because Frank kept glaring at his boyfriend during one of the shots where the female agent posing as his fake girlfriend was supposed to be kissing his cheek while leaning over the couch he was sitting on. Later that night, when he'd asked Gerard what was so funny about it. If anything, Frank thought he'd have been jealous during the more intimate photos. 

"Sugar, I had nothing to be jealous about! Maybe if it was some punk twink, then _yeah_ , I'd be a little jealous. But _seriously_ Frankie, you should've seen your face. You honestly looked like you were gonna puke. I've never seen anyone more uncomfortable with having a vagina in your lap. You're, like, the gayest guy I know." The statement sent Gerard into another bout of howling laughter until Frank playfully swatted at the boy's ass in the tight waxed jeans he'd worn that day.

"I wasn't scared of her vagina, asshole," Frank muttered over Gerard's stifled giggles. "I just don't like cuddling anyone that isn't you. It was just super weird, ya'know? Like, I love you. I love you so much my brain feels like it's gonna explode sometimes. The thought of being with someone else, even if it was just pretend, kind of sucked--a lot. Because being with someone else means I'm not with you."

Gerard's giggles immediately stopped and the boy suddenly looked like he'd he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Oh Frankie, I'm such a dick. I shouldn't have been laughing. I didn't realize that's why you were uncomfortable. I just thought it was because you were cuddling a girl." He shuffled over and nudged Frank with his head in a typical Gerard-like apology. Frank ran his fingers through the boy's hair.

"You don't have to be sorry, baby. I mean, I _am_ pretty gay, so I can see why you went there." Despite the reassurance, Gee had tried to make it up to Frank that night with a few new moves he'd discovered while shelving books about tantric sex and the Kamasutra during his last shift. They'd each wound up with a few bruises and Frank had a pretty big scrape on his shoulder from accidentally rolling off the bed into the nightstand, but even mediocre-bordering-on-bad sex with Gerard was better than the best sex he could imagine with anyone else. Besides, they'd redeemed themselves the next morning with Gerard bent over the bathroom counter before Frank left for the office.

Tonight, though, Frank was even more excited than he normally was for their Thursday night video calls. Last week, he'd gotten an idea to cheer up his boyfriend who'd had a rough week at work and was missing the agent more than ever. He told the young artist that he was going to have something delivered to the apartment and that he needed to not open it until tonight. Frank knew that Dewees would rip him a new asshole if he found out what the agent had been up to, but he couldn't really help that he'd memorized his real credit card number and had a bad habit of shopping online.

At eight pm sharp, Frank had the laptop propped up on a pillow and he was lounging on the bed in a pair of black sweatpants with the earbuds plugged in and in his ears. The bedroom blinds were closed and he'd pulled the curtains over them to be safe. Double checking to make sure he was on the Bureau's VPN, he opened the video calling software and clicked on the icon to call Gerard. It rang twice through his earbuds before the screen opened to Gee's smiling face. His boyfriend was sitting cross legged on the bed wearing a pair of neon green lace panties and one of Frank's t-shirts from the Academy. The shirt was baggy on him but the way it was rucked up around his hips stole the older man's breath for a moment. Next to him, Frank could see the unopened box and a pair of scissors.

"Frankie!" Gee bounced on the bed at the sight of his boyfriend. He reached out to touch the screen, and Frank couldn't help but do the same.

"Hey, baby. I miss you so much."

"I miss you too. How has your week been?"

"It's been good. I whacked my thumb pretty good with a hammer, but other than that, I've been doing alright. How about you, what have you been up to?"

Gerard leaned back, fiddling with the hem of Frank's shirt and began to recount his week. Frank could tell he was anxious though he wasn't sure why. It wasn't until Gerard mentioned a run-in he'd had with a guy he knew from the shelter he'd stayed at briefly. Thankfully, the interaction hadn't resulted in anything more than threats, but Gee was still a little shaken up over the man's angry words. He promised Frank that he'd told the Captain and that the senior agent had purchased a stun gun for his agent's boyfriend and had given him some self-defense training.

"He showed me all of the best places to kick, even if someone's protecting their junk! I just have to kick them in the solenoids and put my hand up their nose!"

"Solenoids are electromagnets, Gee," Frank said with a chuckle, "I think you're talking about a solar plexus."

"Yeah, that one! The solar plexus." Gerard grinned widely into the camera.

They talked for a while longer about Gerard's week since Frank's was mostly confidential. The conversation eventually drifted to Gee talking about one of the dreams he'd had that week involving all of the lights in their apartment being replaced with tiny Christmas bulbs. The dream had ended up evolving into Gerard being tied to their bed with string lights while Frank teased him until he woke up. It had apparently left the artist a horny mess for most of the day since he'd woken up late and didn't have time to take care of himself before his shift. The story, however, gave Frank the perfect segue into having Gerard open the gift that had been delivered.

When Gerard opened the nondescript box, Frank watched the artist's face turn from curiosity and excitement to lust. His boyfriend pulled out the package from inside and held the dark purple prostate massage wand up to the camera. It made him laugh when his boyfriend eagerly ripped open the cardboard and pulled the toy out, leaning over with his lace-covered ass in the air while he rummaged through the night table where they kept spare batteries for the remotes and gave it a wipe down with sanitizer to clean it. Once he had the device on, he knelt on the bed, sitting back on his thighs with his legs spread and brought it to his lips to test out the vibrations. Frank's hand slipped down to palm himself through the front of his sweatpants.

"How does it feel?"

Gerard slid the tip of the toy from his lips down over his neck and chest, circling the tip of it around his nipple through the shirt. "It feels so strong, Frankie. I wish you were here to use it on me."

"I know, Gee, me too. So instead, you're just going to have to do everything I say. You're gonna have to be my hands, okay baby?" Gerard nodded and Frank gripped himself harder through the fabric, feeling his dick rising to attention at the sight of his boyfriend on the screen.

"I want you to tease yourself through your panties, okay? Just rub it up and down the front, real gentle, okay?" Frank was careful to filter himself, refraining from any language that would identify Gerard as a man. It made the dirty talk a little more difficult, but it was necessary just in case he'd raised any suspicion and had given Donald or his associates reason to bug his house.

"Christ, baby, you're so wet already. Tell me what it feels like." True to his words, Gee's cock had been steadily leaking precum, leaving a wet patch on the green lace.

"So good, Frankie. It's making my stomach feel like it's full of buzzing bees and-- it's making my toes curl. I wanna touch myself. Can I?"

"Not yet, baby. I want you to get me hard first before your panties come off. Can you do that?"

Keeping the toy pressed against the base of his cock, Gerard's head fell back and he let out a throaty moan.

"I wish I was--oh! I wish I was there with you, Daddy," his voice hitching as he spoke. "I love getting you nice and hard for me, love getting you ready to fuck me--especially with my mouth. You start to grow right on my tongue until I can feel you hitting the back of my throat, making me choke. Oh, fuck--I love you so much, Frankie. I miss how you feel."

Frank pulled down the waistband of his pants and freed his cock from the loose material. He wrapped his hand around the base and gave it a few slow strokes.

"Take 'em off now, baby, and lean back on the pillows. Feet on the bed and knees up, okay? I want to be able to see your face when I make you cum."

Gerard let out a small, high pitched whine that made Frank grip his dick a little harder. This boy was going to be the death of him with the sexy little noises he always made in bed. Frank watched as he laid back on the bed so his ass was in view for the camera, lifting his legs and sliding the soft fabric over his thighs and calves until he was able to flick them off with his feet. Once his boyfriend was settled against the pillows, Frank had him grab the toy again and get it nice and wet with his mouth, turning the vibrations to the lowest setting.

"I want you to slide it in, right into your tight little hole, okay? And I want you to fuck yourself nice and slow with it while you play with yourself. Can you do that for me, baby?"

Gerard bit his lip and nodded, reaching down to press the end of the toy against his rim. Frank rubbed his thumb along the tip of his cock, gathering some of the precum that had dripped over the head so he could use it to help the slide of his hand. The toy was smaller, a slim wand with an angled bulb at the end, designed to put pressure directly against Gee's prostate rather than stretching him out the way Frank's cock did. That's what the agent was looking for when he'd chosen the toy, though. He had a plan.

When the toy slipped into Gee's ass, Frank felt himself twitch in his hand as his boyfriend began dragging the toy slowly in and out of his hole. His other hand had wrapped itself around his cock and was rubbing softly, twisting at the tip the way Frank knew he loved.

"That's good, baby. Make sure you're pressing on your spot, okay? I want you to feel it."

As they watched each other through the screen, hands moving more quickly as they got closer to their respective orgasms, the sound of Gee's panting and moaning was getting louder through Frank's earbuds. He slowed himself down, wanting to make it last long enough to see Gerard through to the end.

"Faster, Gee. I wanna see you cum, can you do that for me? Wish it was my cock instead. I love the way you feel cumming around me while I fuck you. Jesus H., you look like a dream right now." It was true. Gerard's cheeks had flushed and his hair was damp against his face. He was gripping the wand tightly, thrusting it quickly so it was rubbing against his prostate with each movement and his other hand was gripped tightly around his erection. With a loud yet somehow breathy moan, Frank watched as his boyfriend's body tensed up and spilled over his hand. His toes were curled into the sheets and his hips twitched as he rode out his orgasm. Frank was sure the sight would've made him finish himself if he hadn't gripped the base of his dick tightly in anticipation, pinching his shaft to keep himself from cumming.

Gerard made a move to pull the toy out, but Frank stopped him. "Uh-uh, baby. You're not done yet. I'm still hard, and I wanna see you cum again."

"But Daddy--" his boyfriend whined, though Frank saw the glint of excitement in his tired eyes. 

"But nothing, Gee. You gonna be good for me?" Frank could see the boy's muscles clench as the toy continued to buzz inside of him. Gerard nodded, and Frank continued. "That's good, baby. Turn it to medium and then I want you to just hold it there, right on your spot, okay? No touching yourself other than that. I wanna see you cum just from the toy."

Frank could tell the moment the wand pressed against his boyfriend's oversensitive prostate. His hips twitched up to get away from the sensation, but Frank grinned smugly when Gerard's hand moved with himself to follow Frank's direction and keep the toy in place. He kept himself quiet, pulling his cock upwards in his hand, chasing the orgasm that had previously escaped him. The noises coming through his earbuds were incredible and he didn't want to miss any by talking over them.

He knew Gee's second orgasm would come quickly with the constant stimulation on the sensitive pressure point, but Frank was hit off guard when his boyfriend suddenly shouted his name and arched off the bed, his legs slipping and shaking while the waves of pleasure ripped through his body. The video quality wasn't the greatest, but Frank could still see the small pearls of white dripping from Gee's bright read cock and pooling on his flushed stomach.

"Turn it up, baby. As high as it goes, and keep it there. I wanna see you do that again, just one more time."

"Fuck--fuck, no, I can't--" Despite his words, Gerard's hand was reaching down and twisting the dial at the base of the toy to the highest setting.

The boy was a writhing mess on the bed having fallen further down on the pillows. His back was constantly arching now, his ass pressing hard into the bed reflexively trying to escape the painful pleasure. Frank knew Gee's feet would be cramping with how hard his toes were gripping at the rumbled sheets. He was holding onto the toy with both hands, pushing it firmly into his prostate while his head was digging into the pillows. Frank could see the tear tracks running down Gerard's sweaty cheeks and his hair clung messily to his forehead. If Frank didn't know him so well, didn't know how much he enjoyed this kind of torture, he would've felt bad for putting him through this. But with the screams that Gerard was now letting loose, there was no way he could turn back. 

"Daddy, I'm gonna-- not again, please! Oh, _fuck_ , please--I can't--" Gerard was babbling almost nonsensically as he approached his third orgasm in the span of an hour. His sobs were shaking his body as his hips thrust helplessly into the air. Frank was about to cum as well, his fist clenched around his cock as tugged quickly, trying desperately to get there before Gee did. With a hoarse shout, Frank was spilling onto the sheets in front of him as he listened to Gerard scream.

"You're doing so good, baby. You're almost there, just a little more," Frank encouraged the exhausted boy on the other side of the screen. "Fuck, Gee, I love you so much. You're so good for me, so fucking sexy like that. I want to be inside you right now, feel you so tight around me when you cum again."

The praise was just what Gerard had needed to reach his third and final crest. Frank could almost see the wave of pleasure washing over him, it was so tangible. Gerard shook violently, yanking the toy from his ass before falling limply into the sheets. He lay there for a few minutes, breathing heavily while Frank whispered words of love through the call. When he finally propped himself up and wiped the tears and sweat from his face, he was wearing a sleepy smile that filled Frank with warmth.

"I love you, Frankie. I can't wait until you're back home with me."

"I love you too, baby. It won't be too much longer, I promise. I'll be seeing you soon."

They exchanged their goodbyes so they could clean themselves up and go to sleep for the night, promising to talk again the following week. With one final "I love you" from each of them, Frank ended the call. He fell back into the blankets and curled up as the night overtook him, thoughts of being back home with his boyfriend helping to pull him into a deep sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

As the weeks passed, Frank was doing his best to gather information and keep up appearances. He'd been listening in on conversations when he could and had managed to sneak out a couple of old file boxes to dig through, though he couldn't find anything that would give them enough to get a search warrant. He was beginning to get worried that he wouldn't be able to find anything and would either have to go back empty handed or stay undercover longer. Neither option seemed appealing.

He'd been working with Ham to build trust with the business owner, expressing an interest in making some money on the side to send home to his mother in Florida. He'd also been spending time with Mikey as much as he could, joining the kid on Saturdays at Paradox to dig through the bargain bins and giving him tips on how to flirt with the girl behind the counter that he'd been crushing on for the better part of the year. Donald had noticed how highly both Hambone and Mikey spoke of the agent, extending an invitation to him for a family dinner that Sunday evening.

When Frank showed up, he wasn't sure what to expect. He'd dressed up in black pants and a black button down, having noticed Way's appreciation for business suits while in the office. When Donna greeted him at the door in a flashy purple dress with her bleached hair teased halfway to Newark, he was sure he'd made the right decision in attire.

His boyfriend's mother led him through the hallway into a formal dining room where Donald, Mikey, and Hambone sat at the table. She pulled out a chair for him, next to Ham and opposite Mikey while Donna took her place next to her husband. Frank had noticed that there were several family pictures hung both in the hallway and the dining room where they were seated, though he couldn't find a single photo with Gerard in it. 

"DeLuca, thank you for joining us this evening. Would you care for a drink?"

"Please, thank you. I'm, uh, honored to be here, sir." Frank pulled at the collar of his shirt before taking a healthy sip of the wine he'd just been given. He wasn't nervous, he excelled in these situations, but he knew it would be normal to be slightly uncomfortable to join your boss for a meal in his home and so he was trying to make his actions match the mood.

"You've made quite the impression on my family, Frank. I understand you've been discussing cartoons with Michael?"

"Comics, Dad," Mikey said pointedly before shrinking back under his father's strong gaze.

"Yes, sir. I grew up reading comic books and it's still a hobby of mine. Michael told me about one of the stores he goes to, and he was right, they do have a great collection."

"And you don't think they're a bit juvenile?" The capo kept his tone bordering on polite, but Frank could hear the challenge in his voice.

"Maybe, but it's a guilty pleasure. My pops got me into them when I was a kid, and I'd like to think I can pass it on to my sons in the future."

"I like that family is important to you, DeLuca. You mentioned that your mother has been having some financial difficulties? I believe I have some business opportunities outside on the side that you might benefit from, but we can discuss them after dinner. My wife has made her wonderful lasagna and it would be a shame to let it get cold."

The conversation flowed as steadily as the wine, and Frank had to remind himself to eat so the ever-full glass in front of him wouldn't go straight to his head. Donna pestered Mikey with questions about school and Frank with questions about his girlfriend. Frank noticed that Ham remained quiet and had a very submissive demeanor, similar to how Mikey was acting--only speaking when a question was asked, though no one was asking Ham any questions. Donald was also quiet, though there was nothing submissive about him. Frank could tell he was observing the agent, much in the way Frank was observing everyone else.

When the meal had ended and their stomachs were full of pasta and wine, Donald waved his hand for Donna to start clearing off the table. She did so, keeping her head low and whisking away the dirty dishes and leftover food as quickly as she could.

"Michael, I believe you have something you can attend to elsewhere. It's time for the men to discuss business." Without a word, Mikey gave his father a curse nod and stood from the table. Frank didn't miss the look the teen shot at him, though. It cut through Frank's skin like a knife as he read the disappointment and hurt in the kid's eyes. When Donna and Mikey were gone, Donald stepped over to the sideboard and pulled out a bottle of what looked to be brandy and three glasses. He poured them each a few fingers and sat back down at the head of the table.

"Franco DeLuca, I believe we might be able to help each other out. It seems you're needing some supplemental income, and as it happens, I'm needing some, let's say-- _enforcement_ \--on a debt that is owed to me. Now, your cousin here says you're no stranger to the shades of grey in morality and your record shows that you've stepped outside of the law before."

"Sir, how did you get my record?" Frank began to make himself fidget in his seat, pulling once again at his shirt.

"You'd be amazed at what information is available when you know where to look for it, DeLuca, and I make it a habit of checking into the people I choose to associate with. The misdemeanors were hardly worth the look, but your felony charge has certainly piqued my interest." The capo kept his expression even, punctuating the sentence with a slow sip of the liquor.

"Am I in trouble? I didn't put it on my application, sir. I just--I really needed the job. I'm sorry." Frank had subtly increased his breath rate and was taking shallower breaths, pushing himself in the direction of hyperventilation. It was something he'd learned from an instructor at the Academy and it helped to make him work up a nervous sweat. He used his sleeve to wipe away at his brow.

"I told you that I value honesty, and I don't care to be lied to. That being said, I understand the desire to keep certain _unsavory_ aspects of our lives in discretion." Frank couldn't help but think the man was alluding towards his oldest son rather than his criminal ties. "Domestic assault, was it? For a family man, I wouldn't think that of you, Frank."

"It wasn't my finest moment, sir. My girl--my _ex_ -girlfriend, she stepped out on me and I didn't take to the disrespect well. Loyalty is important to me and she was spreading her legs for anyone with a pulse. I had too much to drink when I found out. Things got physical when she refused to leave my apartment. She called the cops on me and since I was drunk and she had a split lip, I got booked. I had one of those free public defenders, ya'know? At least he wasn't too shit. Kept me out of jail."

"I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing in your shoes. I don't tolerate that sort of behavior. Thankfully, the Lord has blessed me with a strong and loyal woman who knows how to respect a man." Donald rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he continued. "I have a proposition for you, DeLuca. I could use a man with your values in my ranks. You would offer certain services to me in the way of collection and enforcement, and in return, I would offer you some additional financial compensation and protection, a chance to make a name for yourself in the family. How does that sound to you?"

"What kind of services, sir? You mentioned that someone owed you a debt? What would you need me to do?" Frank knew the conversation was being recorded. He'd made sure to tell Dewees about the dinner, and the handler had gotten the go-ahead to remotely turn on the microphone on Frank's phone. He had to be careful, though. There was a fine line between collecting evidence and entrapment.

"A little fear goes a long way."

"So, don't actually hurt him? I would just have to make some threats?"

"Empty threats don't inspire fear, DeLuca. You'd do well to remember that. My friend has five days left to make his payment. I've made a few phone calls for _encouragement_ , but I have a feeling I'll need to call on both you and McGuire to make a visit when his time is up. Should you do well for me, I'd like to see you as a made man in the future. The family could use someone like you."

Frank nodded and grinned, reaching forward to down the last of the liquor in front of him.

"I won't let you down, sir."

―

On Friday morning, Frank was called into Donald Way's office by Mikey who was working a full day since his school was closed for in-service. He didn't miss Mikey's cold and clipped tone, though there was nothing he could do to make the teen feel better at the time. He'd have to wait to try and make amends with the kid and hoped that he'd find a way to get back into his boyfriend's brother's good graces.

On his way back to the lobby, Frank sent a quick text to Dewees to start recording, knowing the handler was on alert based on the dinner party earlier in the week. Dewees had gotten the approval for Frank to carry out the extortion on Way's behalf, with explicit instruction to not cause permanent physical damage to the victim if possible. Frank wasn't sure what Way expected, but he hoped he'd be able to convince the victim to pay the money owed without having to do too much. When he walked through the door of the owner's office, he was greeted with a cold Beretta M9 and a loaded magazine on the desk. He carefully closed the door behind him and waited for the boss to speak.

"I assume you're comfortable with a weapon, DeLuca?"

Frank walked forward and confidently loaded the gun, checking the sights before setting it back on Way's desk.

"Sir, it's a federal offence for a convicted felon to be in possession of a firearm." Frank grinned to let the man know he wasn't serious. Thankfully, Way seemed to appreciate the humor and responded in kind.

"And yet, I would think a convicted felon would know how to break a law every now and again."

Donald leaned back in his chair and gestured for Frank to sit across from him.

"It seems that my friend has failed to make a payment on his debt to me, and I would like for you to collect it. His name is Peterson, and you can find him at Bridgewater Development over in Roselle."

"And should I stay until he pays?"

"You may give him three hours. That should be enough time for him to arrange the funds, as his lack of payment seems to be from stubbornness rather than inability. He is under the impression that it's in his best interest to leave his debts unsettled and I would like for you to convince him otherwise. He's a rather vain man and probably quite fond of his teeth. I imagine he would hate for you to have to bash them in."

"Understood, sir."

"Remember, DeLuca. I know it's easy to lose control in these situations, but dead men don't pay debts."

Frank made sure to turn the safety on before tucking the gun into the waistband of his pants and pulling his shirt town to hide it. Unable to meet the looks that Mikey was sending in his direction, Frank kept his gaze on the floor as he made his way out to his pickup truck. When he arrived at the developer's office, the agent stopped at the front desk.

"Good afternoon sir, how can I help you?"

"I've got an appointment with Peterson. He should be expecting me. You can tell him it's on behalf of Donald Way."

She nodded with a smile and picked up the phone, and though he could only hear one side of the conversation, he knew his job had already begun.

"I'm so sorry, sir. Unfortunately Mr. Peterson didn't have this meeting on his calendar and he's about to take an important conference call."

"That's fine. If you could just call him back and let him know I'll meet him at home, then. It's been a while since I've had the chance to catch up with his family." He wasn't sure if the man had a significant other or any children to speak of, so he kept the threat vague knowing that he could strike a chord by making the developer think of whoever he cared about most. Frank leaned forward onto the desk as the receptionist gave him a wary look and called back to Peterson again. She hung up and plastered a fake smile on her face, gesturing to the seating area.

"If you'd like to wait there, Mr. Peterson will be out to speak with you in just a moment."

When a classically handsome, well-dressed man who looked like he belonged in an episode of HGTV rather than an office in Jersey approached the agent, Frank scowled when he saw the look of disdain as the man gave him a disapproving once-over. He stood and squared his shoulders, planting his feet in a power stance before speaking.

"Peterson?"

"Yes, and you are?" The man had a nasally voice that was dripping with self-importance. Despite knowing that he was technically a victim, Frank felt him radiating douche bag vibes that made him want to cringe. At least that would make what he knew would happen next a little easier. His stomach clenched at the thought of roughing up someone like the Captain or, God forbid, Gee.

"Name's DeLuca, not that it matters. My name could be George Washington for all the good it's gonna do you. Now, how about you show me to your office and we can get this settled?"

"There's nothing to be settled. You can go back to Way and tell him this has to stop. I refuse to play into his little games any longer." Peterson crossed his arms and cocked his hip, staring down Frank in a way the agent knew was meant to intimidate him. Instead, Frank pulled the hem of his shirt up, flashing the gun to the developer.

"I'm not leaving without your payment, so we can either take this back to your office, or we can do this here and you can explain to your staff why you pissed yourself in the middle of your lobby. Either way, this does not go well for you, but you'd be better off taking the first option and saving some face." He saw the flash of fear in the man's eyes and knew it wouldn't take much more to break him. Frank shoved past him and walked towards the direction the developer had appeared from, easily finding a door with his name. Once the door was shut behind the pair and the blinds were closed, Frank deftly pulled the Beretta from his waistband and held it to the man's head, using his other arm to pin him against the door by the shoulders.

"Now you're going to listen to me, okay?" He pushed the barrel of the weapon into Peterson's cheek, hard enough to leave an imprint. He quickly brought his knee up and into the man's groin, causing him to let out a groan of pain. He'd have buckled from it, Frank knew, if the agent hadn't still been holding him up. After he let the developer suffer for a few more seconds, he let go and took a step back, grinning maniacally as the man fell to his knees in front of the acting mobster.

"You owe my boss a debt. He's a generous man and gave you plenty of time to pay. Even called to remind you so you wouldn't be late on your payment. But now you are late and that upsets him. That upsets _me_ , Peterson, because I have to take time out of my day now to teach you what happens to people who don't follow the rules." Frank held the gun to the man's neck, using the barrel to tilt his chin up so he could look the agent in the eyes, staring the man down with a crazed expression. He hauled back and kicked the developer solidly in the ribs with his heavy work boot. When the man crumbled, Frank grabbed him by the hair and pulled him in the direction of the desk. He scrambled for purchase on the carpet, but he was still weak from having the wind knocked out of him and the agent knew the man's scalp would be sore for several days by the time Frank had dragged him to the computer.

"Get up, pretty boy, or you're gonna have to get a nice set of dentures to replace those pearly whites I'll knock outta your face." The man hauled himself up into the chair while Frank continued. "Now, you've got ten minutes to make the transfer or I'm gonna start breaking your fingers. And the more I break, the harder it'll be to type, so I suggest you get to work."

Thankfully, the man nodded and logged into the desktop, pulling up his bank account. As he scheduled the immediate transfer, Frank noted the bank account the money would be deposited into. It was a shell company that he'd seen referenced in a few of the files he's managed to sneak out of the office, a fake excavation business that Way must've set up to funnel illegal funds through. After all, most accountants wouldn't blink an eye at construction and development companies hiring excavators for their projects.

Ten minutes passed and the transfer hadn't been finished. Frank knew the developer was struggling, his hands were shaking and he kept pausing to wipe the nervous flop sweat from his face. Frank remembered the first time he'd had a gun held on him and knew the fear that was coursing through the man's veins. Regardless, he had to keep up his appearances.

"Hand, now," he demanded, growling at the businessman who'd been unlucky enough to get involved with the DeCavalcante's. The man looked up at him with panic evident in his eyes.

"But, I'm doing it! I'm sorry, it's just--it's almost done, please!"

"Frank tucked the gun back into his waistband and yanked the man's wrist from the keyboard. He forcibly uncurled the clenched fist and snapped the developer's pinky finger backwards. Frank heard the joint pop and was thankful he only dislocated it. The pain would get the point across, but it would easily be reset and would heal quickly.

"Fuck, please, I'll do it! Just no more," the man whimpered as he clutched his injured hand to his chest.

"Ten more minutes, get a move on."

As the clock ticked forward, the man continued to process the transfer. With two minutes left before the next finger, he let out a cry of success and pointed to the screen where the transfer was complete. Frank grinned and wrapped his hand around Peterson's throat, leaning in close enough to his face that the agent was sure he could've counted the individual tear-stained eyelashes.

"I hope you remember this the next time you think about pulling shit like this. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. You do _not_ want to have to make me visit you again--I won't be so kind the second time around."

Frank turned on his heels and walked out of the office. He waved goodbye to the receptionist with a smile before hopping back in his truck to report back to Way.

―

The next morning, Frank was waiting at Paradox for Mikey. He wasn't sure if the teen would show up since he'd seemed angry at the agent, but Frank knew it would be the only chance to talk to him without worrying about his parents hearing. When the door to the shop opened and Mikey walked through the door, his face was cold as he brushed past Frank without a word.

"Dude, really? C'mon, man, what can I do to fix this?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mikey muttered, flipping through the issues in the bin in front of him, still avoiding eye contact.

"I know you're pissed at me, and I want to make it better. I want to apologize, but I need to know what it is that you're mad about. Is it because your dad kicked you out of the room after dinner?" Frank had a gut feeling he knew what Mikey was really mad about, but he didn't want to be the first to say it. If Mikey knew about his dad's criminal dealings, he needed to bring it up because Frank wasn't going to be the one to tell him. Not yet, at least.

"You really want to know? Fine. I'm not pissed that he kicked me out, I'm pissed that you stayed. I didn't think you were that type of guy. I thought you were different than the rest of the people he hangs out with."

"Hey, I _am_ different, okay? I just--look, kid. I really needed to do this. It's not like I'm happy about it, but I'm in a tough spot." 

Mikey turned and glared at him. "Bullshit. There are other ways to make money, Frank. You don't want to get involved with my dad. I might not know everything, but I know enough to know that it's bad news."

"Okay, fine, I'm out. No more side-jobs for your dad. Yesterday kind of sucked anyways, and you're right, I don't want to get involved any more. I shouldn't have done it in the first place."

Frank leaned against the bin trying to get into Mikey's line of sight. When the teen finally looked at him, Frank saw the angry, unshed tears and felt terrible. He tried to push his sincerity forward so Mikey would know that he meant what he said.

"Promise?" Frank nodded and gently punched at Mikey's shoulder in a gesture of good will.

"Promise. What do you know about what your dad's up to anyways?"

"Not much, I try to stay out of it, but I overhear things when he gets angry and I do enough around the office that I've seen things in the books that don't add up. I don't want to know the specifics, and you shouldn't either. Whatever it is, I know it's not good, and you're too much of a nerd to go to jail."

"You wanna get coffee or something?" Frank still felt bad that he'd upset Mikey, and he wanted to make it up to him. To reassure the kid that he wasn't a good-for-nothing criminal, even though on paper, he was.

"You're, like, thirty. And I'm sixteen. Isn't that creepy?"

"Dude, don't make it weird. You remind me of my kid brother or something."

"You said you were an only child," he narrowed his eyes at Frank.

"I _am_. That's why I'm adopting you, asshole. I've never had a kid brother to boss around and be a role model for and all that shit."

"You? A role model?" Mikey let out a snort, so Frank playfully cuffed him on the back of the head.

"Hey, I can be a role model. I've got a job, I'm in a relationship, I have my own place--what more do you need? What, do I have to get, like, a Nobel prize or something?"

"Nah, you're cool. Better than most of the guys on my dad's payroll. Especially the ones who work for him outside of the construction business, they all kind of creep me out. I think that's why I got so pissed when you said you'd work for him on the side. I thought you were my friend, not his, ya'know? I don't really fit in so it was nice to have someone to talk to about things that I think are cool."

"Hey, I _am_ your friend, Mikes. Okay? And who cares if you don't fit in? I didn't fit in much when I was your age either." 

"None of my dad's friends... I'm not like the rest of my dad's friends' kids. They're all, like, macho or whatever and I'm, well, you know. I know my dad hates it. Wishes I took after him more. After my brother--" Mikey cut himself off quickly.

"You have a brother?" Frank noticed the panicked, almost pained look on Mikey's face and had a feeling he knew some of the emotions that were running through his mind. They were the same ones he'd comforted Gerard through. While he couldn't do the same for Mikey, not in the way he did for Gee, he still wanted to help. "Come on, kid. Coffee. My treat. You can talk and I can listen, or you can insult my shitty taste in comics some more. Either way, I need some caffeine and you're coming with me."

Frank drove Mikey to the nearest diner and they settled in with two coffees and a basket of fries to share. He could tell the teen wanted to say something, but it was a hard conversation to start.

"You want to tell me about him?" Frank gracefully shoved a small handful of ketchup-covered french fries into his mouth, making Mikey snort.

"God, you're disgusting."

"Fuck off," Frank tried to say around the half-chewed potato, but Mikey was smiling and that was a step in the right direction in Frank's book.

"So yeah, I guess. I have a brother. Had, maybe--I don't really know--"

"How about you start at the beginning? What's his name?"

"His name is Gerard, and he's six years older than me, but we were super close when I was a kid. Like, I looked up to him and he never acted like I was a nuisance even though I must've drove him nuts because I followed him around like a shadow. He's actually the one that got me into comic books. He used to be obsessed with them. He even made his own, sometimes. He was good at that--good at art. But I learned to read on comics. He'd find ones that I would like and read them to me, pointing out the words until I picked them up."

"He sounds like a great brother. Anyone who likes comics alright by me."

"Yeah, he was awesome. He and my dad didn't really get along well, though. Gee tried to keep me away from it but it was hard to ignore the bruises. I didn't know why Dad hated him so much, why he got so angry, but then one night after one of their really bad fights, he told me that he was gay." Mikey paused and looked at Frank, gauging his reaction, trying to see if the agent had the same prejudices the paternal Way was harboring. Frank smiled softly, instead, and nodded for Mikey to continue.

"I didn't know what it meant, but he tried to explain it the best that he could. He told me it was something that he was born with and couldn't change. I remember him telling me it was just a much a part of him as his hands and feet were. And as much as it would hurt to cut off his hand and hide it, it hurt to hide that part of him as well." Mikey's voice was shaking, but he continued.

"I didn't know what would happen. I think if I did, I never would've said anything. But I knew that Gee was really sad, even though he tried not to show me, and so I begged him to tell Dad that he was gay the way he told me. I thought that if Dad knew, if he realized how Gerard couldn't change that part of him, that he might not get so angry any more."

The teen started to cry and Frank grabbed a napkin for him. "That was one of the worst nights of my life, the night that Gerard came out. He tried to make me stay in my room but I was a stubborn kid. I got that from him, really. So I followed him down to my dad's office and stood next to him when he told him. My dad got so angry, Frank. Seriously, I thought he was going to explode. He started hitting Gee so hard and I was crying and yelling at him to stop, but he just shoved me out of the way and kept beating him. By the time he was done, Gerard was passed out. He looked dead except I could still see him breathing. Dad dragged his body through the house and dropped him on the front lawn. When he came back inside, he locked the door and looked at me and told me that I didn't have a brother any more and that he'd do the same thing to me if I even mentioned his name."

"Fuck, I can't--I'm so sorry. For you, and for Gerard." Frank had to close his eyes and take a deep breath through his nose. Gee had told him the story, but he'd left the part about his father beating him half to death out. He had either blocked it out, or it was too painful for him to talk about. Either way, Frank's stomach was turning over the images forming in his mind.

"When Mom took me to school the next morning, Gee was gone. He wasn't in the yard any more, and I was so scared. It was a week before I found out he was back at school. I kept asking the kids with older siblings every day if they'd seen him since we were in different buildings. He wrote me a letter a few days later, passed it to me through a friend of his. He told me that he loved me and that he always would, and that he was going to be okay. He made me promise not to talk to him because he knew Dad's friends had kids in our school that would tell, and he didn't want me getting in trouble. That was the last time I'd ever heard from him. He graduated, I saw his name on the list of seniors the year before I moved to the high school building. I have no idea where he is now, if he's okay--if he's even still alive. But I miss him every day."

"I'm sure he's alive and that he's okay. You said he graduated, so he made it that far, right? He got back onto his feet and probably kept going."

"I guess. I'm going to try to find him as soon as I graduate. I've tried to look on Facebook, searched his name on Google and everything, but I can't find anything about him. I'm not going to give up, though." Mikey sniffed and wiped at his tears with the cuff of his sleeve.

"Hey, I'll help you find him. Seriously, I've-uh, I've got connections or whatever and I'm sure we can track him down. As soon as you graduate, we'll get your brother back."

Mikey was quiet for a few minutes before he looked back up at Frank, staring into the agent's eyes like he was looking for something.

"If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?"

"What is it?" Frank couldn't help the nerves that began to race through his system. He knew he had to, but if Mikey asked, he wasn't sure he'd be able to lie about knowing Gerard.

"Are you a cop?" The question hit Frank like a brick through a window. He couldn't believe he'd been made, and by a teenager nonetheless.

"Uh, no? I'm not a cop," he answered, which technically wasn't a lie. Frank was a federal agent, not a police officer. "Why do you think that? Do I give off cop vibes?"

Mikey continued to stare like he was trying to psychically figure out if Frank was telling the truth.

"You're just weird, okay? I've seen you snooping around when you think no one's looking, and you watch, like, everyone. Like you're spying on them or something. Plus, I saw you take that file box out to your truck a few weeks ago. I thought maybe that you were one of my dad's rivals or something, but after this morning, I'm thinking that you might be a cop."

"Whoa there, I was just trying to carry my tools. I found an empty box so I wouldn't have to make a bunch of trips. And I don't snoop, I'm just a nosy guy. Sue me."

"Bullshit. If you're a cop, you have to tell me if I ask. That's a rule, isn't it?"

"Tell that to the narc who busted me for buying pot in high school," Frank said with a grim laugh.

"You're not really helping your case."

"Jeez, okay Sherlock. I'm not saying that I'm a cop, because I'm not, but even if I was, I'm pretty sure the number one rule would be that I couldn't tell anyone." 

"I don't believe you, but it's pretty obvious you're not going to tell me so I'll let it go. But do yourself a favor and be careful. You're lucky it was me who figured it out and not my dad." Frank didn't know how to respond, so he just nodded and shoveled more fries into his mouth. They'd gone cold, but it was easier than trying to change the subject.

"You're seriously disgusting, Frank. You've got worse table manners than a toddler, and you call yourself a role model?"

Unable to speak without spitting food out of his mouth, Frank just flipped off the teenager sitting across from him. Mikey grinned in response and leaned back in the booth. Their conversation devolved back into comics, video games, and music like the entire past week hadn't even happened. Even though Frank was pretty sure he was going to have his ass handed to him when Dewees found out about Mikey's suspicions, he'd gotten enough from the after dinner conversation and Donald sending him after the developer with an unlicensed gun, that they were going to be able to make an arrest. He'd made amends with Mikey and even with the kid thinking he was a cop, they were still on good terms, and he'd promised to help the kid reunite with Gee.

Frank was feeling for the first time since he'd taken the case that everything was going to turn out okay.


	7. Chapter 7

The raid happened the following Thursday morning at 0900 hours. As predicted, Dewees was remarkably upset at Mikey calling Frank out on his identity, and had chewed him out for over an hour on Saturday night before talking the agent through the plan.

"The fuck, Frank? You seriously walked out of the office with a file box, like no one was going to notice?" After Frank had texted him about the situation, his handler had driven to the UC residence and swept it for bugs.

"Listen, I'm sorry, okay? I was just trying to do my job, and I was being careful. I didn't know he was there and I'd clocked everyone else in the office so I knew they weren't watching. I played it off, though. I told him I found an empty box and was using it to carry my tools back to the truck."

"Well he clearly didn't believe you. That was reckless, Frank. Reckless gets you killed, do you understand that?"

"I know. Believe me, I know. But I trust the kid--I mean, you don't know what his dad did and it really messed him up. He hates the the guy, he's not going to tell." Frank was getting defensive but he couldn't help it. There was nothing he could do to fix the situation and all he wanted to do at that point was finish the case.

"Even if he doesn't snitch, even if he hates his dad's guts, he's a _kid_. What happens if he gets in a screaming match with his old man and lets it slip? He's not trained to keep secrets. He's not trained for any of this!"

"What do you want me to do about it, then," Frank shouted in exasperation. Thankfully, it seemed to calm Dewees down a bit.

"Just--I don't know. Christ, man, next time you're on a gig like this, be more careful."

"I will. I messed up, I get it. I'm really sorry. But I think we're okay for now, right?"

Dewees took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

"We're going to try to push up the bust. The recordings got enough for a warrant, and based on what you found in the files, we're pretty sure we'll be able to find more during the search. That bank account has several deposits that we were able to trace back to projects connected to Way or from other companies in the union. It looks like they were also from companies that made surety claims against Way for building violations, but all of the claims were dropped."

"So we've got him, then? Enough to put him away?"

"We think so. We were hoping for more so we're kind of banking on what we find during the raid, but even if we come up with nothing, we've at least got one count of extortion and one count of the unlawful firearm that we can prove."

"That's all?" The feelings Frank had after the diner with Mikey went out the window. He'd thought everything would be okay, but now that they were pushing up the raid without him having been able to get any concrete evidence on Way running a union racket, his stomach was sinking.

"For now. It at least gets us a foot in the door to be able to search through their records and the house. You did good with that--really, Frank. You got him to say enough that the judge gave us a warrant for the office and the house, and cyber's already digging into his bank accounts. We've got enough that he's going to jail, and we're going to try to get him to admit to the union stuff in questioning as well."

"He's smart, you know he's not going to go for that. His lawyer won't let him say a word."

"We can push his buttons, though. You said he's all about loyalty, right? So we're going to arrest you at the same time for your involvement with Peterson. Then we can tell Way that you're ratting on him. See if we can't get him to say something in the heat of the moment."

Frank knew it would be a long shot. Donald was smart and he had power--a lot of power. Over the past two and a half months, he'd learned a lot about the mob Capo. Though he wasn't able to prove it concretely enough to prosecute, Way had one of the biggest union rackets of the 21st century. He'd overheard enough one-sided phone calls to know that Way was charging more on jobs with threats of strikes, and Frank had a gut feeling that the Mafioso would be able to bring construction to a grinding halt in the Tri-state area if he was so inclined. Luckily, Frank had built up enough trust with Way to be pulled in.

But even if the search turned up all of the evidence in the world, Donald Way had power. He would, no doubt, have a defense team that would put even the best prosecutor to the test. They'd be working double time to get as much evidence thrown out as they could. The Bureau's best chance at guaranteeing a conviction would be to get a confession. And Way was smart, he knew that.

Ultimately, though, Frank had also learned that Donald was an emotional man at his core. He let his anger get the best of him and that overwhelming rage could make him slip if they played their cards right. He'd spent weeks studying Way at close range and he'd built a profile that he felt was rock solid. At least, that's what he kept telling himself the next five nights while he tried to fall asleep, knowing his part in the case was coming to an end. As the doubt and fear crept in, making him nauseous at the thought of his boyfriend's abuser and source of countless nightmares, of Mikey's violent and repressive warden, of Peterson's extorter and debt collector going free because of him, Frank tried to drown out the voices in his head with the lull of repetitive whispers that he'd done his job.

The morning of the raid began like most of his days had started over the past several weeks. Upon arriving at the WCC office, a bleary eyed Frank made his way to the coffee maker, pushing aside Bryar as the oaf tried to beat the machine into submission. He poured them each a cup and downed his in one go before refilling the mug and leaning against the kitchenette counter to sip the second a little more slowly. He watched Nikki totter on the grotty carpet in her too-tall heels while she distributed printed faxes to Donna's office. Donna herself was fussing over Mikey's filing method until her son, who was on break from school that week, gave up and ambled over to Frank. The agent caught Donald's gaze following his youngest son from his own office where he was engaged in another phone call that Frank could tell didn't have much to do in the way of construction and had more to do with DeCavalcante business.

When the kid was within arm's reach, Frank's hand shot out to ruffle Mikey's hair, earning a slap and a grumbled, "fuck off," from the teen. Thankfully, all was forgiven when Frank filled up another mug as a peace offering. Bryar, Frank, and Mikey were about finished with their morning dose of caffeine when the lobby door swung open and four FBI agents walked in with purpose. He didn't know it was happening this morning, Dewees thought it would be better that way to keep the element of surprise more natural, but the second Frank caught sight of the yellow lettering on the Bureau jackets and Bird Beak's gun being pointed in his direction, he knew the raid was happening and it was happening _now_.

"FBI, keep your hands where we can see them and step out of your offices," Mega-Rock shouted in an authoritative tone.

Frank instinctively stepped in front of Mikey, putting himself in between Bird Beak's weapon and the unarmed teen. He knew Bird Beak was trained in the Bureau's lethal force policy and wouldn't pull the trigger, but Frank had always been protective over his family and he didn't appreciate anyone pointing a loaded weapon at Gee's little brother. When Donna and Donald stepped into the lobby with their hands raised and empty, Bird Beak reached into her back pocket and pulled out a folded warrant. Frank saw another team of agents enter the lobby from the construction zone and he knew they'd already swept the back for more people.

"Donald Way and Franco DeLuca, we have a warrant for your arrest for the extortion of James Peterson." As Bird Beak roughly grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, slipping his wrists into the zip tie cuffs and tightening them until he could feel the plastic biting into his skin, Frank caught sight of Mega-Rock doing the same to Donald while the man spat insults at the agent for interrupting his business. Mikey kept as neutral of a face as he could, but Frank could see the panic in his eyes as the teen watched Bird Beak force Frank painfully to his knees, keeping her gun trained on the undercover agent. Donna and Nikki were both shouting over the agents trying to figure out what was happening, yelling about how they had no right to arrest either of the men. The situation was chaotic, to say the least, but Frank was thankful it hadn't escalated to the point of weapons being fired. He knew Donald had been disarmed while being cuffed but Frank wouldn't be surprised if Donna kept a weapon in her office as well.

"We have a warrant to search this premises as well as your personal residence, Way. We'll be taking the two of you in for questioning while our team conducts the search."

"You're not searching anything until my lawyer looks at that warrant," Donald said, angrily.

"That's not how it works, Way. You're welcome to have your lawyer review the warrants and challenge any evidence we uncover, but we have a legal right to search both premises immediately."

"Donna, call Gino and tell him to meet me wherever these pigs are taking me." Donna nodded and ran into her office while Mega-Rock escorted Donald to one of the waiting vehicles outside, an agent following her to make sure she didn't hide anything they might be searching for. Bird Beak pushed Frank down so he was laying flat, hands cuffed behind him, and began barking out orders for the team of agents that were conducting the search. Frank lifted his face off the sour-smelling carpet and turned his neck so he could see Mikey.

The teen was sitting on the ground, now, leaning back against the mini fridge with his knees curled up into his chest. Frank had seen Gerard sitting the same way several times when he was feeling anxious, and he knew it was a defense mechanism to help the boy feel safe. The agent wanted nothing more than to spill everything to Mikey in an effort to take away all of the fear that he knew had to be racing through the kid's mind, but he was aware of Bryar sitting two feet to Mikey's left and knew that he couldn't. Instead, he tried to provide a vague semblance of assurance in hopes that his boyfriend's little brother would find some comfort in Frank's words.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, Mikey. I promise. You know me, right? And you know your dad. It's all gonna work out." Frank noticed the odd look Mikey gave him but he couldn't dwell on it because Bird Beak was yanking him off the floor and leading him out into one of the other vehicles.

As they pulled away from the construction company and began to make the drive back to the Bureau's field office in Newark, Frank struggled against the zip ties pinning his hands behind him as he tried to settle into the back seat.

"Jesus H., could you have made these any tighter?"

"Shut it, Iero," she said, incorrectly pronouncing his last name. "You are not on my good side right now and I don't want to hear it." Bird Beak glared at him through the rear view mirror. Frank knew she must've been upset about Mikey's cop hypothesis, but after the way she'd treated Gerard during the interview, he wasn't about to apologize.

"It's not my fault the kid was there when he shouldn't have been. I looked around and made sure I wouldn't be noticed before I grabbed those files."

"Well you didn't look hard enough, did you? And besides, you let your relationship with his brother impact your relationship with him, and you got sloppy. You jeopardized my case and I do not take that lightly." She swerved sharply into the left lane to pass a slower car in front of her, causing Frank to topple onto his side as he wasn't able to put his seat belt on and Bird Beak hadn't done him the courtesy of caring for his safety.

"Listen, I made nice with him just like I made nice with Way, and Donna, and Nikki, and even fucking Bryar. He worked in the office, for Christ's sake, what did you want me to do, ignore him? Me playing nice with him was half the reason Way brought me in on the Peterson job anyways!" Frank was agitated. He knew he played himself more than DeLuca with Mikey, but in his mind, it had worked. He couldn't help that the kid was smart. His only mistake was not knowing that Mikey had stayed in the office the night he'd taken the file box. It had nothing to do with how he'd bonded with the teen, and any agent could've made that mistake. Thankfully, his point seemed to get through to Bird Beak and her stony expression softened slightly.

"Fine, if you think that, you can write it in your report." She paused for a moment before continuing. "Way's in the car behind us. When we get to the office, we're going to put you into one of the interrogation rooms with a window and we'll walk Way by so he can see you before we put him in the room. After that, we want you on standby in case we need to go a different route. Bringing you into the interrogation and blowing your cover is our backup plan if we can't get him to talk. It's not our first choice, but it might break his ego enough to get an outburst."

Frank nodded and leaned his head against the window, watching the cars pass on the other side of the divided highway. Despite all of the anxiety he'd felt in the week leading up to the raid, he was starting to feel at peace again. He was going back to Gerard, back to Cap and his family, back to Scully, back to everything that felt like home. He was ready.

―

Frank had been at the Bureau office for five and a half hours by the time Bird Beak called for him. He'd been standing in the observation room with Dewees and a few other agents from the case as they watched Bird Beak and Mega-Rock try to break down the mobster.

They'd told him about the video footage from Peterson's office, and Frank scoffed as Way immediately denied it, the lawyer claiming that DeLuca acted on his own. When Mega-Rock brought out paperwork they'd uncovered in their search linking the payments Peterson had been making to accounts owned by corporations in Way's name, the lawyer shut them down stating that the payments were made in exchange for goods and services and that Way's CPA could provide further documentation. When Bird Beak brought up the ledger book they'd found in Donna's office with entries for jobs that they'd charged expenses to their customers that were never provided, along with several unregistered firearms, the lawyer stated that they would not be responding to that line of questioning. Frank knew they'd found enough evidence to put Donald away, and possibly even Donna for her involvement in the finances, but they wanted more. They wanted Way to confess to the Labor Union racket so they could guarantee an extended sentence.

When nothing seemed to be working and Way's lawyer was shutting the mobster down any time he tried to speak in his own defense, the two agents left the room and pulled Frank aside and asked that he give it a shot.

"You've got to play to his anger, Iero. That's the only way he's going to get heated enough to shut down the lawyer and give us what we need. I don't care how you do it, but you've got to get him heated. Get his mouth running until he spills." Bird Beak pushed him in the direction of the holding room and he adjusted the badge he'd hung on a chain from his neck so it would be nice and visible.

Frank confidently opened the door and grinned as he sauntered over to the table, pulling out the chair and taking a seat across from Way and his lawyer. He smugly watched the realization pass over the man's face and leaned back, crossing his tattooed hands in front of him, waiting for the comments he knew wouldn't be held back.

"DeLuca. I should've known that you were a rat," Donald growled from across the table.

"Technically, it's Special Agent Iero, but I'll give you a pass since I didn't introduce myself properly the first time." Frank kept the grin on his face, knowing the display of dominance that had been previously uncharacteristic in his interactions with the man would irritate him to no end.

"I welcomed you into my family, into my home, and this is what I get? You should be more careful. I don't take too kindly to rats. They're the worst kind of pests and I'd hate to have to call an exterminator."

"Donald," the lawyer interjected with warning.

"It sounds like you're the one who needs to be more careful, Way. Threatening a federal agent is a crime. Anyways, I thought we were family, Donny Boy. Remember? Loyalty and all that--but here you are telling them that you didn't send me to Peterson's, didn't tell me to bash his teeth in. I didn't like the way you threw me under the bus like that." Frank watched as Donald's face grew red and his fists clenched.

"Loyalty? You know nothing of loyalty, Agent. You've spent weeks lying to my face, lying to my family--"

"And yet somehow Michael trusted me enough to tell me all of your dirty little secrets, even after he figured out that I was undercover. You've got a smart kid, Way. And a loyal one at that, even if he's more loyal to justice than he is to you."

Frank could feel the tension rolling off the Capo and he knew his tactic was working. He was using the profile he'd built on Way to push the man's buttons. A few more methodical pieces of information shared and Frank would have the Mafioso--hook, line, and sinker.

"I've heard you talk about your son, how he was going to take over the family business someday. But you couldn't see past your own ego to realize how much he despises you. He knows all about what you're up to and he couldn't be more disgusted with your actions. You think he looks up to you, but all he sees is the monster that you are."

Donald's eyes looked like he wanted to kill the agent, and he wouldn't be surprised if graphic thoughts of torture were running through the man's mind at that very moment. Frank knew the kettle was boiling and he was about to hear the hiss of steam when the pressure became too much.

"Do you want to know when you lost him, Don? Because I can tell you exactly when it was. It was the night you beat his brother to a bloody pulp for coming out of the closet, tossing your child out on the front lawn to die while his nine-year-old brother begged you to stop. You kicked Gerard out on the streets, abandoned him--the one person Michael looked up to the most, loved more than anything--and you expected him to still look at you like a father?"

At the mention of Gerard, Way's eyes widened and his breathing became audible. His face was practically purple and the lawyer was trying to speak softly in his ear about how Frank was trying to play him. Thankfully, the agent knew he had Donald's undivided attention so he continued, throwing down the trump card that he was certain would guarantee him the winning hand over the Capo.

"But even before I met Michael, I already knew all about what you did. See, I met Gerard a while back. Thought he was the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid eyes on--he's got your nose, if you can even remember what he looked like, though I think it looks much better on him. Anyways, long story short, we fell in love. He even convinced me to take this case when it was offered. I was torn, didn't want to spend that much time away from him. I've been missing him like crazy, ya'know? But he told me it was important to put you in jail. Not only for what you did to him all those years ago, but for what you're doing now. He knows what kind of man you are. He knows that you belong behind bars."

"You think that fanook knows what it means to be a man?" Donald was roaring now, ignoring the pleas from his lawyer to calm down and keep his mouth shut. Frank watched the spit fly from his lips as he shouted slurs at both the agent and his boyfriend. He knew he'd gotten it, he'd pushed Way to the point where rationality had gone out the window. He was acting on pure emotion and Frank knew he was about to get a confession if he played his cards right.

"Then tell me, Donnie, what does it mean to be a man? Are you a man because you force your customers to pay your so-called _debts_ and when they can't, you send your soldiers to beat them into submission? Because I don't see a man when I look at you, Way. I see a piece of scum who preaches family values but can't even get his own children to look up to him. Someone who was so scared of having no legacy to leave behind that he bought his way into a new family on the backs of hard working people like a common criminal. Is that the kind of man you are?" Frank was standing, palms flat on the table in front of him as he leaned forward into Donald's personal space. He was so close, he could feel the man's coffee-soured breath on his face. It took everything in him to not flinch when Way hauled back and spat on him, instead taking a few steps back and wiping his cheek dry, never taking his eyes away from the mobster's.

"You keep your cock sucking mouth away from me, fag. You know nothing about family. Not you and not your little whore of a boyfriend. I don't have to buy my way into anything, I pay my dues so that my wife and son are taken care of, so that my brothers and their families never have to want. You talk about hard working people, but if they were really men, they wouldn't be relying on a pension to keep them in their old age! They'd wise up and work the system like I do."

"Donald, stop talking!" The lawyer gripped him by the shoulder but Way shook him off and continued.

"Anything can be yours when you take it, and if they're not man enough to stop it--well, that's on them, not me. If they wanted to be a king they wouldn't be controlled. They wouldn't jump when I told them, strike when I told them, put their money into my pockets when I told them. They're spineless, barely able to breathe on their own. But I'm a man--a king! I do what I need to, what I _want_ to. I protect my own, I take care of my family, and I provide. That's what makes a man!"

Frank heard a quick knock on the glass behind him and knew he'd won. They'd gotten what they needed and Way was going to be locked up for a long time. For the Bureau, it was a small step forward in a much larger case, but for Frank, it was a victory to watch the man he'd grown to hate crumble in front of him. He'd done it. He'd done it for Gerard, and for Mikey, and now he could go home to his family knowing that the man who'd done so much to hurt the people he loved was going to rot behind bars for years to come. 

―

Frank had gone back to the Bureau office in New York after the interrogation. After several hugs and handshakes from Scully, the Captain, and the rest of their team, Frank gathered his belongings and set back home to Gerard. By the time he reached the door to their apartment, he had ten minutes before his and Gee's scheduled video call, so he knew his boyfriend was bound to be curled up in their bed with the laptop.

As quietly as he could, Frank unlocked the door and stepped inside, carefully setting his bag by the door and creeping around the corner until their room was in view. He could see Gerard sitting on top of the blankets with his back to Frank, scrolling through his Tumblr on the screen while he waited for his boyfriend to call.

"I thought this might be a little better than a video," he said softly from the doorway. He watched as Gerard jumped with a frightened squeak before realizing who's voice he'd heard behind him. The boy whipped around and froze when he saw Frank standing in their apartment, and then a few seconds later, he was scrambling across the bed and practically leaping into the agent's arms. Frank held his boyfriend tightly, burying his face in the young artist's neck as he felt Gee's tears of joy dampening his own inked skin. When he pulled back just enough to see Gerard's eyes, he couldn't help the smile that was threatening to break his jaw when the boy yanked him forward and pressed what felt like hundreds of kisses to his face.

"I missed you so much, baby. So much," he whispered against Gerard's lips, gripping his boyfriend's thighs that were wrapped tightly around his waist so he could walk them backwards towards the bed. When he moved to set Gee back down on top of the rumpled sheets, he laughed as the boy continued to cling to him like a limpet, refusing to let go of the man he hadn't seen in months. Frank gently maneuvered the pair so they could lay down together without having to let go, pulling the blanket over them so Gee wouldn't get cold. Once they were snuggled together, Gerard finally relaxed and lifted one of his hands to tug at Frank's hair. His nails were painted a bright, cobalt blue and covered in the familiar charcoal smudges that Frank had missed.

"Your hair got so long, sugar." He'd made the decision to grow it out when he took the case, thinking the length would distance him even further from being an authority figure, but the last time Gee had seen him, it had only barely brushed past his ears. It was now jaw-length and had a habit of falling in front of his face whenever he moved. Frank nodded in response, leaning forward to pull his boyfriend into another kiss, having not been able to touch him for almost three months. When they broke apart, he brought one of his hands up from Gerard's waist and rubbed his thumb along the boy's cheekbone, finally feeling like everything was right now that he was home.

"Can you tell me anything about it?" Gerard whispered as if Frank might get in trouble if he spoke any louder.

"Not a lot, since it's still ongoing, but we arrested him this morning and he knows who I am now. I told him that I knew what he did to you and how much of a monster he was for it. He might not be going to jail for that, but I hope it haunts him when he's living behind bars for the other stuff."

"And Mikey? Did you ever see him?" Frank took a deep breath, trying to think about what he was allowed to say. Before he'd left, the Bureau had given him strict instructions on what he was permitted to tell his partner. While they hadn't mentioned anything about Mikey, Frank figured that his relationship with the teen was mostly unrelated and that telling Gerard wouldn't impact the trial. 

"Yeah, I saw him, baby--a lot, actually. He's a really good kid, a massive nerd just like you. We'd meet up at the comic shop every Saturday and I'd see him every day after school, too. I'm not even joking, I'm pretty sure the kid likes Star Wars even more than you. I didn't think that was possible for anyone." Gerard let out a choked sob at the mention of his brother and Frank pulled him closer to press a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Did he--does he remember me at all?" The tears were rolling down Gee's flushed cheeks and Frank brushed them away with his thumbs.

"He does. It took him a while to talk to me about it. Christ, baby, I wanna kill your dad for what he did to the two of you. Mikey was so scared to even mention you but once he did--he loves you so much, Gee. I don't think there's a day that goes by that he doesn't think about you, and he told me he was going to look for you the second he turned eighteen. Even though you weren't able to be with him, you're such a big part of his life. Honest."

"Can you tell me about him? What's he like?" Frank smiled, thinking about Gerard's little brother, and pulled his boyfriend so Gee was curled up with his head on his chest. He started to tell the artist about what the teen was like now--what comics he liked, the music he listened to, his awkward attempts at flirting with the girl behind the counter and Frank trying to coach him through being suave. Gerard had scoffed at that one.

"Sugar, I love you, but you've got about as much suave in you as a penguin."

"Aw, come on, baby! I got you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, because you knew Spider-Man and you had pretty eyes." At that, Frank pinned his boyfriend to the mattress with a cunning grin and decided to show Gerard exactly how much suave he thought he had.

Little did they know, less than twenty miles west in the Essex County Correctional Facility, Donald Way had managed to get his hands on a contraband cell phone and was making a call to one of the other DeCavalcante Capos. As the guard he'd bribed stood outside of the bars keeping an eye out, the mobster spoke quietly to the gangster on the other end of the line.

"Listen, I've got to make this quick. There's a rat that I need you to take care of. Name's Iero and he works for the feds. I want him gone, along with that little fairy whore he's got keeping his bed warm. I don't care about the risk. This one's personal."


	8. Chapter 8

Jumping back into his normal life after being on an undercover assignment had been an adjustment. On Friday, despite having the day off, Frank had gone into the New York field office to meet with one of the psychologists who would clear him to return to duty. The shrink had gone through a standard list of what Frank might be experiencing so he'd be able to expect it, but it didn't help him stop the involuntary flinch and flicker of fear that he felt every time he heard someone call him by his real last name.

The next morning, Frank woke up later than normal to an empty apartment. Gerard had told him on Friday that he'd been picking up extra shifts during the assignment to help keep him distracted and that he'd go back to his normal schedule now that the agent was home, but it wouldn't start until the following week. So instead of lazy morning sex, sugary cereal, and episodes of The Magic School Bus, Frank had an apple, a granola bar, and a long jog through the neighborhood. He had worked up a good sweat and was taking a break to catch his breath when he realized he was standing in front of one of the comic shops near his and Gee's apartment, and it brought his thoughts back to his boyfriend's little brother.

Even though they hadn't done it for long, Frank was missing his weekly trip to Paradox with Mikey. More than that, he was wondering how the kid was holding up after Thursday's events. As much as Mikey had hated his dad, Frank had spent enough time arresting people to know that having a parent taken to jail did a lot for a child's emotions. Throw in teenage hormones and a developing brain and it was the perfect recipe for needing to see a therapist.

Before he could talk himself out of it or check in with the Bureau for permission, Frank found himself on the train heading towards Jersey. He wasn't sure if Mikey would be there, but Frank knew he wanted to at least try to reach out. The agent in Frank was screaming at him for doing something so reckless as making contact with a potential witness, but Frank's heart had been so much louder than his brain ever since he'd met Gerard, and he knew he needed to do this. Mikey didn't deserve any of what had happened to him, nor did Gee, and Frank wanted to do what he could to make things better for the two of them.

When he got to Paradox, the store was mostly empty aside from a few regular customers and the back section of tables that was currently home to a group of friends playing Magic. Frank scanned the aisles for Mikey, but when he didn't see the teen, he busied himself by looking through the new arrivals shelf. He knew Donna probably wasn't letting Mikey stray far from home with everything that had happened, but he'd still been hopeful. After two hours had passed with no sign of Gee's younger brother, Frank decided to head back to the city. He grabbed the small stack of issues he'd found and brought them to the checkout counter, grinning when he saw the familiar face of Mikey's crush.

"Hey there! Frank, right?"

She smiled and cracked her gum obnoxiously which the agent couldn't stand, but he'd spent hours listening to Mikey rant about how the girl's "I don't give a fuck" attitude made her "the coolest girl on the whole goddamn planet, Frank."

"Yeah, hey, have you seen Mikes today? Ya'know--tall, scrawny, glasses, usually ignoring everything I'm saying because he's only got eyes for you?" He knew she was aware of Mikey's crush and she'd found it endearing once he'd gotten better about talking to her rather than just leering from behind the store's shelves when he thought she wasn't looking.

"No, he hasn't been in today. I'm guessing you haven't heard from him? I have the last issue of Neverboy for him so I figured he'd be in to grab it." She scanned the books that Frank had pulled and shoved them haphazardly into a bag, stabbing at the cash register buttons with a chipped, black-polished nail. He gave her a handful of cash to pay and tossed the change into the bucket on the counter with a picture of a cute dog from the local animal shelter on it.

"I wasn't sure if he'd make it, things were a little crazy last week. I haven't been able to get a hold of him, my phone got trashed and I don't do that social media shit." Frank yanked out a Sharpie from his back pocket and flipped over the receipt, scrawling out his number in messy but legible writing. "Could you do me a favor, though? I got a new number with the new phone. Could you stick this with that Neverboy and give it to him next time he comes in? I'm heading out of town for a while and I probably won't see him before I go."

"Dude, that sounds sketchy as hell, leaving town without saying goodbye? You got someone after you or something?"

"Nah, I was only going to be in Jersey for a couple of months. It's just shit timing with my phone breaking and him not being here today."

"Sure, whatever you say, man." She rolled her eyes and cracked her gum again before pulling out Mikey's order and sticking the receipt inside the bag. Frank gave her a small wave goodbye, which she returned by flipping him the bird and sarcastically blowing him a kiss. He made a big show of catching it and holding it to his heart as he swooned towards the exit.

"Don't be a stranger next time you're in town, asshole," she called out as he opened the door to leave. He shot her a double thumbs up before making his way out towards the bus stop so he could start the commute back to the city.

―

Sunday night found Frank back at the Captain's house for the first time in weeks. He had been practically bouncing with excitement on the subway down to Williamsburg, but now on the way back to their apartment, he was exhausted. He was standing in an effort to not fall asleep, holding onto the handrail so he wouldn't fall over.

"I'm so glad you're home, sugar. We all missed you." Gerard yawned and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist, sneaking his arms underneath the unzipped hoodie. Frank was wearing another inside-out shirt, this one featuring a small Gee Way original Sharpie drawing of a guitar-playing vampire slightly off center over his chest. "Especially Carter."

"I can't believe he kept that log of your adventures together! That was adorable."

"He just wanted to make sure that he wouldn't forget any of the cool stuff we did so he could tell you when you got back."

Only a few hours before, he and Gerard had been dragged into the townhouse by the energetic child, a firm grip on each of their hands. Before Frank had even had a chance to greet the Captain and Greta, he found himself being pulled into Carter's bedroom and shoved towards the twin bed. He and Gee made themselves comfy while the little boy grabbed a purple notebook covered in robot stickers and what looked to be a small photo album off of his desk.

While is parents watched from the doorway, their eyes glinting with love and amusement, Carter wiggled his way up onto the bed in between the two guests and began to read the entries from his journal.

"And on the next Tuesday, Uncle Gee got to visit me again and we went on a whole entire treasure hunt! He even gave me my very own camera that prints the pictures out right when you take them, and we got to put them in this other book with the clues that we found! Do you want to see?"

"Of course I want to see, bud!" Carter smiled widely and started flipping through the pages of the photo album, pointing out the pictures that they had taken. His favorite was a set of two Polaroids with the first showing Carter and Gee making silly faces at the camera. They'd gotten someone to take it for them because they were each using both hands to stretch their mouths wide, sticking their tongues out and crossing their eyes. They were standing in front of a colorful mural featuring cartoon monsters with similar expressions. The subsequent shot was of the pair laughing brightly, clearly amused by the faces they'd pulled. Frank could hear the sound in his mind and he could feel the joy bubbling in his heart with the thought of their happiness.

Gerard had told him all about the treasure hunt during one of their video calls. He'd spent about three weeks planning it for the little boy in between his shifts at the bookstore, writing clues for Carter to solve that would lead the pair around Manhattan. The map he'd made was about three feet wide, aged with coffee and a few hours in a low-temp oven, and Gee had painstakingly drawn the entire island with little sketches of landmarks they needed to find. He'd even gone around the day before and stashed tiny bottles with small scrolls containing additional clues, now laid out in the photo album for Frank to read.

Carter excitedly described how Gerard had called him the night before to tell him about the map he'd "found" and asked if Carter would help him find treasure the next day. Of course, the Captain and Greta were in on the entire adventure and had wholeheartedly agreed when Carter begged them to let him go. He'd woken up extra early and his mom had helped him dress just like Indiana Jones with one of her old purses as a satchel. His favorite part was when they went down to the tall ships in Battery Park and they got to be real pirates for a bit. With Carter's new camera, a gift that Gerard had found at a local pawn shop, they'd taken pictures at each destination until they'd found the final location.

It was an ice cream parlor where Gee's old roommate's boyfriend worked, and the employee was more than happy to present the small treasure chest filled with gold luster dust-covered chocolate chips and a hand drawn voucher for free ice cream that Gerard had paid for the day before. Carter was so excited by the sweets but he'd made sure to put a few of the chocolate pieces into one of the clue bottles to save for Frank, pouring the rest on top of both his and Gee's ice cream cups.

Frank patiently listened to Carter recount the rest of the events that had occurred over the past weeks, including a joke that had made the Captain laugh so hard, he'd apparently had a noodle coming out of his nose. Cap adamantly denied it, of course, but Frank noticed Greta nodding pointedly from over her husband's shoulder. When they finally made it to the dinner table, after Greta had politely reminded her son that Frank and Gerard were probably hungry, the conversation flowed so easily that Frank almost felt as if he'd never left.

They'd ended up staying way later than they normally did, the adults opting to catch up over decaf coffee and a cherry torte that Greta had found a recipe for in one of the cookbooks Gerard had gifted her. Any time the artist saw one at work that looked particularly interesting, he'd always buy it and bring it to their next Sunday dinner. It wasn't until Frank realized that he'd been yawning once every five minutes and Gee had already fallen asleep tucked against his side that he'd realized it was already past eleven and they still had long ride home.

By the time they'd made it back to their apartment building, Frank was giving a sleeping Gerard a piggyback ride. He somehow made it up the stairs and through the locked door, taking care to lock it behind them, before he tucked his sweet boyfriend into their bed. Curling up beside him for the night, Frank's eyes grew heavy and he quickly followed Gee's lead, falling asleep before he could finish a single thought.

―

On Monday afternoon, Frank was walking towards the subway station from the Bureau office when he saw a seemingly familiar face. It looked like one of the DeCavalcante soldiers, a made man who worked for Way. Frank had seen his mugshot plenty of times and though the man on the street's ratty blonde hair had been cropped short, he was fairly certain it was still the criminal from the photograph in the case file.

He kept the recognition from his expression and continued walking, though his attention was solely focused on the mobster. The blonde followed him from a distance, not nearly as stealthy as Frank had been trained to be while tailing someone. The agent descended the steps of the station and ducked behind one of the information booths so he would be mostly hidden. He quickly pulled his hoodie from his backpack and slipped it over his button down shirt and tie, altering his appearance just enough that he wouldn't be quickly identified by someone casing the station for flashes of white fabric.

Sure enough, as Frank finished zipping up the front of his sweatshirt, he caught a glimpse of a scowling blonde stepping into the platform. The agent watched as the man blatantly scanned the crowd of commuters and as the next train opened its doors, he got in to continue the search. Frank pulled out his phone and called the Captain before stepping into the next train fifteen minutes later. It would be a hassle, but he knew he was going to have to make a conscious effort to change his commute. If he was being followed, a routine would only help them and Frank did not want them finding his apartment or leading them to Gerard under any circumstance.

That night, Frank explained the situation to Gee and asked the boy to avoid the Bureau area for a while. He was known to surprise Frank for lunch on his days off, and the agent was worried he'd accidentally lead one of his father's men back to his apartment, or worse, that they'd do something to hurt him.

"I'll stay away, but what about you, Frankie? What if he finds you again?"

"He might, baby, but I'm going to be extra careful. Swear. Cap's having me leave work at different times and I'm going to be taking different routes home. Scully's even going to drive me home a couple times a week to throw 'em off. I'm less concerned about them seeing me leave the office than I am bringing them home to you. I've gotta keep you safe. I love you too much to let anything happen to you."

Frank bumped his boyfriend's hip with his own as they washed the dishes together. Even though Gerard nodded, Frank could still see the small worry lines creasing the younger man's forehead, so he gathered some suds on his finger and swiped them onto the tip of Gee's nose.

"Frankie," the boy squealed with a giggle, "stop it, you goose!"

The younger boy reached down into the soapy water and flicked water droplets onto his boyfriend's shirt. Frank gasped in mock horror and retaliated by dropping a handful of bubbles onto the artist's hair, who then bent down and head-butted them right back onto the agent's stomach. Frank grabbed the soapy scrub brush and was brandishing it like a sword when he noticed Gee had grabbed the sink sprayer and was aiming it threateningly at the older man, an evil grin stretching across his face.

"You wouldn't!"

"Watch me, sugar," Gerard said, squeezing down on the lever and spraying a quick blast of lukewarm water at the agent, soaking his t-shirt instantly. Frank lunged forward and wrestled the Gee to the ground quickly pinning him into the puddle on the floor by sitting on top of his hips and using his free hands to mercilessly tickle the sides of the squealing boy.

"Okay, okay! Uncle! You win!" Gerard was panting, looking up at Frank with flushed cheeks while the older man smiled smugly down at him. "Remind me to file a complaint with the FBI for police brutality."

"Hey now, baby. I was just subduing an assailant with non-lethal force. Totally justified." He leaned down and sweetly kissed his boyfriend before pulling him to his feet and tugging the damp shirt off of the younger man's frame and tugging him towards the bedroom. "Come on, Gee. Let's get into something dry and watch that crazy horror movie you found. I'm in the mood to hold my sweet boy and you always get extra cuddly when you're scared."

"Do not," Gerard muttered, still a little stubborn from having to concede victory.

"Do so, and I love it."

Once they were dried off and tucked under the covers watching the opening title sequence of the movie, Gerard wiggled against Frank so he could look up into the his eyes.

"Frankie, what happens if they come after you and hurt you?" Frank knew his playful distraction would only last so long.

"Gee, I made a promise to you that I was going to do everything I could to come home safely and that doesn't end just because I'm not undercover anymore. My job is dangerous, but it takes a lot to make the bad guys take action against me, though. The penalties for hurting a federal agent are crazy and there are more ways for us to get evidence than there was back when the Mafia was in its glory days. You don't hear about the mob putting out hits on the feds much any more because _when_ we catch them, they'd go to jail for a lot longer and they can't afford to lose their men." Frank brushed Gerard's hair back from his face, calloused fingers gently scratching his ear as he tucked the strands behind.

"More than likely your dad sent someone to try and follow me so it would scare me--get me to back off on testifying against him, ya'know? So I don't want you to be scared for me. That's my job, to worry about the both of us and make sure that we're safe. I just want you to focus on being careful during the times when I can't be with you, and to make sure that when I come home, I get to come home to you."

―

Frank was on his way to lunch with Scully after one of their unit's meetings for a new cargo theft case when he got a call from a number he didn't recognize. Hoping it was Mikey, he answered only to find that it was Bird Beak, which immediately raised red flags in his mind that there was something happening with the LCN case. After exchanging painfully fake pleasantries, she cut to the chase.

"Look, Iero. There's a kid here at Newark, Way's kid. He's been fighting with security for the past two days now and it's getting to be a problem. He's demanding to see you, or DeLuca at least." Frank's heart started beating quickly, though his mind couldn't catch up fast enough for him to figure out if it was from excitement or anxiety.

"Is it--would it be okay if I came to talk to him? Would that screw up the trial?" Scully hooked her chin over Frank's shoulder to try and listen in on the conversation, but Frank just shrugged her off and shoved her away, flipping her off for good measure.

"I ran it past the prosecutor and she's okay with it, as long as the same rules with the other brother apply. No talking about the case, or asking him about any contact he's had with his family members. Besides, the kid's persistent. If we don't do this our way, he's going to find a way to talk to you and I'd rather we do this on our terms." Frank didn't mention leaving his cell phone number for Mikey at the comic store. He already wasn't one of Bird Beak's favorite people, and he didn't need to give her more reason to dislike him.

"Okay. Okay, yeah. I'm on my way. Just tell him to stay there, please."

"Trust me, Iero. I don't think he's going anywhere. I'm surprised he didn't camp out in the parking lot last night."

After hanging up, Frank gave Scully a short run down and apologized for bailing on their lunch. She cuffed him upside the head and told him she would've shoved him onto the subway herself if he'd put a bodega sandwich with her over something that important. Frank called the Captain and asked him for an emergency personal half-day, which he immediately granted, leaving the agent to make his way to the Newark field office.

When he walked in the doors, Frank was about to pull out his badge to show security when he heard shouting coming from the holding room behind the body scanners. He swiped his ID through the card reader as the guard who waved him through.

"Hey, I'm Iero. I think that's for me," Frank said gesturing towards the noise. He was close enough he could make out some of what was being said.

"I'm not causing a scene. I wouldn't even be hanging out here if you would just let me see him!" Mikey's voice was muffled through the closed door, but Frank could hear the annoyance in his tone. "I don't know his name but he's got to be one of your guys. Can't you just look it up in the computer or something?"

There was a brief pause, presumably while someone responded. "Then call that chick who arrested him when they arrested my dad. I don't know, you're the fucking FBI--I know you can find him."

Bird Beak was leaning against the wall outside of the room and crooked a finger at the tattooed agent, beckoning him towards the disturbance.

"Iero," she said in greeting. "I was on my way down here to let the guys know you were on your way, but it looks like they already tried to kick him out--kid wasn't having that and started going crazy. They didn't cuff him, but he's in time out until he calms down." Frank cracked open the door and saw the back of Mikey's head. His arms were folded and Frank could tell from his posture that he had on his patented Mikey Way death glare. Past him sat a very annoyed looking head of security.

"You keep pissing them off and they're gonna fire me, Mikes." Frank said as the kid whipped around in his seat. He saw a fleeting look of relief pass over the teen's face before the daggers were back. Before Frank could process what was happening, Mikey was out of his seat and shoving the agent with all of his strength, though the scrawny teen's arms were no match for Frank's years of physical training.

"You asshole," Mikey spat, shoving Frank again so his shoulder blade hit the door frame. The security guard stood to intervene but Frank waved him off as Bird Beak watched from outside the doorway with an amused look. "You lied to me, even when I asked you--even when I figured it out. You could've just told me, I wouldn't have said anything!"

Angry tears were spilling down Mikey's face as he pushed Frank again. The agent could tell they were halfhearted attempts at best. The kid had a lot of anger and confusion coursing through his mind, and lashing out at Frank was the only way he knew how to process it so he let it happen, giving Mikey the outlet he needed.

"And then you don't even have the balls to talk to me about it. And it's fucking sucked. You weren't even there, you just _ditched_ me to deal with the shit." Mikey had given up shoving him and was just weakly gripping Frank's shirt with one hand in a show of holding the agent against the door frame, the other wiping harshly at his tear stained face. Frank continued to wait as Mikey worked through the anger, his voice growing weaker and wobbling with emotion. "I don't even know your goddamn name. I told you things. You said you were my friend and you left me."

"I was in a tough position, Mikes, but I tried, okay? I looked for you on Saturday and the second they told me you were here, I was on the first train to Jersey." He caught Mikey's eyes with his own and saw the anger starting to fade.

"You had my number," he said accusingly.

"It wasn't my phone. They took it after they cuffed me and I haven't seen it since," Frank replied.

"You know where I live," Mikey retorted.

"C'mon, man. You know I wouldn't be allowed to go there now. Not just orders from these guys, but do you really think your mom would let me set foot on that property knowing who I really am?"

"I don't care what she thinks. She's just as bad as he is," Mikey sniffled and wiped at his face once more, dropping his grip on Frank's shirt as the walls came up on his expression, settling into the familiar neutral look he almost always wore. The uneven breaths as he tried to hold back the tears were the only sign that he still wasn't okay.

"I know, kid." Frank waited a beat before pulling Mikey forward into a hug. Gerard had told him about the times Mikey would crawl into his bed at night, upset about a nightmare or memories of the older brother's latest fight with their dad. Gee had told his boyfriend that Mikey would end up clinging to him, looking for comfort in his big brother's arms until everything felt a little more safe. He wasn't Gerard, but Frank still hoped a hug would help, even if it was only a small amount.

When he felt Mikey's arms grip around his middle, Frank brought his hand up to gently pet his hair in time with the boy's breaths until they'd gone back to normal. The agent nodded at the security guard, silently asking for some privacy. Bird Beak shot Frank one last look as she moved to shut the door, glancing down at the emotional teen holding onto Frank for dear life.

" _Remember the rules_ ," she mouthed before leaving them alone in the small security office. After a few minutes, Mikey pulled back and took a few steps away from Frank, shoving his hands into his pockets and staring pointedly at a spot on the floor.

"I'm sorry." His voice was so quiet, Frank wouldn't have heard it had the room not been completely empty.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Mikes."

"I was angry at you for lying but I know you were just doing your job."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean it's wrong for you to be angry."

"I just feel stupid. You were kind of the first real friend I've had since Gerard left, and even when I thought you were a cop, I kind of hoped--" Mikey trailed off, turning away and digging the toe of his shoe into the carpet. Frank pulled out his wallet and grabbed his license tossing it onto the table with the ID he unclipped from his belt.

"Hey. My name is Frank Iero. I'm a special agent with the FBI, I live in New York City, and I was undercover on an assignment in Jersey for the past three months. Those are the things I lied about, okay?" Frank watched as Mikey picked up the plastic rectangles and took in the information on them. "I'm still a huge comic nerd, still into punk rock, still an asshole with no table manners, and I still want to be your friend. I wasn't lying when I said you're like a kid brother to me. I've--fuck. Come on, let's get some coffee. There's some stuff we should talk about."

The pair made their way out of the security office. Frank helped Mikey check in as an official visitor and clipped the badge to the front of the teen's shirt. He led him through the halls until they were in one of the break rooms. While Mikey sat down on the leather couch, Frank grabbed two mugs and started digging through the coffee pods.

"I hate these fuckin' things. Why is everybody getting rid of regular-ass coffee makers? What kind do you want--there's French Roast, Breakfast Blend, some African kind with a weird elephant tiger thing on it?"

"Just whatever you're having."

Frank grumbled, shoving one of the pods into the Keurig and pressing buttons trying to make the coffee brew. Sure, he might have made fun of Bryar on more than one occasion for not being able to work the coffee maker at Way's office, but that was hardly rocket science. These machines, on the other hand, required a master's degree in robotics and a membership to Mensa. When he finally had two semi-full cups of coffee, Frank carefully carried them over and dropped down onto the seat next to Mikey, pulling up his knees so he could sit cross-legged facing the teen.

"So, I've got something else I have to tell you, and you're probably going to be pissed off at me for keeping it from you. I really had to keep it a secret and I was going to tell you the second I was allowed to, which is what I'm doing now. But it's okay if you get mad at me. Seriously, you can even punch me if you want and I'm not gonna arrest you. Swear."

"I don't like how this sounds." Mikey was looking warily at Frank and the agent knew he had his own mask of apprehension on his face.

"It's about Gerard--"

"You know him. You called me 'Mikey' when you were getting arrested and Gee was the only one who ever called me that."

"What? Yeah--Christ, you're observant."

"Maybe you're just shit at your job," Mikey shot back, grinning. Frank was happy to see the kid acting like himself again. It had been breaking his heart to see his boyfriend's brother upset like that.

"Fuck off. I got your dad arrested, didn't I?"

"Yeah, well you still had a high schooler figure out that you were undercover."

"Maybe you're just partially psychic."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Frank." Mikey took a big gulp of coffee before setting the cup of coffee down and picking at a lose thread on the knee of his jeans. Frank recognized the nervous habit, he'd seen it countless times whenever his boyfriend was feeling anxious, and he smiled at the thought that Gee and Mikey were more alike than not despite the years they'd been separated.

"So yeah, I know Gerard--pretty well, actually. We've been dating for over a year and we live together in the city."

"Wait, you're gay?"

"That's what you picked up from that? Yeah, I'm gay. Really fucking gay. I just had to keep the rainbow under wraps because of the whole trying to befriend your homophobe father and arrest him thing." Frank rolled his eyes and continued. "But the bigger part of that announcement is that I know where your brother is. Like, you can meet him again."

He could tell the moment the news his Mikey's brain. The tears welled up again in the kid's eyes and he lunged forward, whacking Frank in the shoulder.

"You asshole! I know you were undercover but you seriously could've told me."

"Jesus H., Mikes, it's not like I had a say in the matter. Do you know how bad I got my ass handed to me just because you saw me take that file box? Imagine me being like, 'by the way, I know the number one rule is that I can't tell _anyone_ , but I think I'm going to tell this sixteen-year-old because he knows how to keep a secret.' Yeah, that would've gone over well." Mikey slugged him again. "Hey, asshole, I said one punch. One! Do that again and I'm going to tell Bird Beak you're assaulting a federal officer in here."

"Bird Beak?" 

"Yeah, the lady agent who arrested me. She's got that nose on her, makes her look like a hawk or something." Mikey snorted and pursed his lips, trying to hold back the grin.

"So when can I see him? Could we go now?"

"I guess so. I should probably ask someone before I take a minor across state lines, but Gee's your family so I don't think it'll be a problem."

They got permission from Bird Beak who wasn't thrilled with the idea but allowed it after Frank pointed out that realistically the trial was going to drag out for months and if she didn't allow the reunion on her own terms, Mikey was going to find a way to meet Gerard one way or another. Within the hour, the pair were settled into a four-seater on the PATH train. While Mikey was playing some sort of card game on his phone, Frank pulled out his own and called his boyfriend.

"Hey, baby. Are you still at work?" Frank smiled instantly when he heard Gerard's voice, but bubbly tone never failing to put him in a good mood.

"Yeah, what's up Frankie?"

"Could you check with your boss about leaving a little early today? I'm on my way back to the apartment. Mikey's with me." Frank could hear Gerard freeze over the phone, and he was about to remind the boy to breathe when he heard a loud thump. "Gee? You still there? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. I just dropped a box. Mikey's with you? Right now?"

"Yeah, he showed up at the Newark office looking for me and they called me in. I'm bringing him home to meet you."

"I get to see him?"

"Yeah, baby," Frank said with a grin. "You get to see him."

He heard Gerard shouting to his boss that he needed to leave for a family emergency. Frank knew he was on good terms with the man having worked there for as long as he had and that it would be okay. He heard the door to the store open because the phone was suddenly flooded with sounds of the city.

"Okay. Okay, I'm on my way home. Are you--how close are you?"

"We just hopped on the PATH, so not too far out. A little less than an hour."

"What if he doesn't recognize me," Gerard said weakly into the phone. Frank could hear the anxiety in Gee's voice.

"It's going to be okay. He remembers you."

"He was nine when I left, Frank. He's a teenager now. What if he doesn't like me? I'm not the same person he used to know." The agent looked over at Mikey who was clearly trying to keep his own nerves at bay.

"Gee, baby. You've both grown up so much since you've seen each other, but that love doesn't go away. You're still brothers and that's never going to change."

"You'll be there, right?"

"Of course. How about you grab some dinner for the three of us on the way home, keep your mind off things? Pizza? Mikey," Frank tilted the phone away to talk to the teen, "what do you like on your pizza?"

"No onions, olives, or peppers," both he and Gerard said at the same time. On the other end of the phone, Gee continued. "He used to love mushrooms. Does he still like them?"

"I don't know. Mikey, do you still like mushrooms?" Frank grinned when Mikey shot him a thumbs up. "Mushrooms are a go. We're gonna hit the tunnel soon, baby, so I have to hang up. I'll text you when we're close, okay? I love you."

"Love you too, Frankie. And Mikey. Could you tell him?"

"I'll tell him. Bye, baby." Frank disconnected the call and shoved the phone back into the pocket of his work pants. "Gee says he loves you."

Mikey nodded and went back to his game, barely looking up for the rest of the commute, even while walking in between stations. It wasn't until they'd gotten to the entryway of the apartment building that he put the phone away. He stopped at the foot of the steps, Frank realizing the teen wasn't following him until he was halfway up the first flight.

"Dude, you okay?" Frank turned and took a few steps back down so he was closer to the kid's eye level.

"What if he doesn't like me anymore?"

"Jesus H., you both are going to be the death of me," Frank mumbled under his breath. "Look, kid. You're awesome, okay? Seriously. Even if you weren't my boyfriend's little brother, I'd still like you because you're cool as shit. He's going to think the same."

"You only like me because I'm a nerd."

"He's a nerd too, dumbass. You told me that yourself, and there's currently a massive collection of Sega Genesis games in my hall closet upstairs to prove it. Listen, I know him, and I know you, and I know you're both gonna get along fine." Frank stepped down the rest of the way, jumping of the last step so he landed behind the teen. With two hands flat on the back of Mikey's shoulder blades, the agent started to push him up the stairs. "You'll freak out and he's probably going to jump you the second you walk in because he's like a fuckin' torpedo sometimes, and then he's probably gonna cry because he's Gee, and then when all the huggy stuff is over we're going to eat some pizza and talk a shit ton because you've got six years of stories to catch up on. And then we're going to crash because it's been a long-ass day."

"If he cries, I'm going to cry."

"Yeah, we're all probably gonna cry. Someone could film this and put it on YouTube like that Christian the lion video. It's gonna be a soggy mess and we're probably out of Kleenex but whatever. Just take a deep breath, kid. You both have been waiting a half a decade for this, and now I get to play Santa Claus and bring you two together like a regular Christmas miracle." Mikey started to walk up the steps on his own, so Frank took the lead again.

"It's the middle of Spring, Frank."

"Fine, I'm the Easter Bunny then," he replied, flipping the kid off over his shoulder.

When they got to the door of the apartment, Frank stuck his key in the lock and twisted the handle open. He gestured for Mikey to step in, but they both paused in the entryway when they saw Gerard standing by the window. He was holding Carl the House Plant, presumably having been talking to him because Gerard insisted to Frank that regular conversation helped the little fern to grow. Frank watched his boyfriend slowly set Carl back onto the side table, keeping his eyes locked on his younger brother.

"Mikey?" His voice was tentative, like he was expecting this to be an elaborate prank and Frank had brought home a stranger instead. Mikey nodded, and Frank barely had time to plant his feet into the ground when he caught the blur of black hair and purple pants barreling towards them, crashing into the teen and knocking the pair back into the agent. He caught them both to keep them from falling to the ground and gently moved them forward enough to close the door behind them, listening to the two Way brothers murmur back and forth about how much they had missed each other.

Just as Frank had predicted, there wasn't a dry eye in the apartment for quite a while.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, rough week over here. I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for a mental health day. I'm hoping to find some time to finish up the next chapter this weekend if I don't get sucked into a wormhole of binge-watching Orphan Black (I'm a few seasons behind but I saw a post on Tumblr that has me itching to dive back in).
> 
> Also, sorry for all of the typos. I don't have a beta and my eyes are crossing trying to catch everything. As soon as I hit "publish," I always find about eighteen more. Someday I'll go back through and fix them because they bother me to no end.
> 
> Happy Thursday, and happy reading :)

Frank woke up the next morning curled up against Gerard's back and tucked into their Queen-sized bed. That wasn't unusual, but what made Frank do a double take as he blinked the sleep from his eyes was the fact that he was shoved far enough to the side that his ass was hanging off the edge of the mattress and he would have easily tumbled to the ground if it weren't for his grip around Gee's waist. His boyfriend had safely sequestered himself in the center of the bed and when Frank peeked over the artist's shoulder, he saw the reason for the adjustment to their normal sleeping arrangement.

Mikey was fast asleep on Gerard's side of the bed, his head close enough to Gee's that Frank had a feeling their foreheads were pressed together at one point during the night. He carefully untangled himself from the sheets, tucking the blankets back around the sleeping boys, before making his way to the kitchen for some morning coffee to help him clear his foggy mind. He saw the pillow and blanket still on the couch from where he'd fallen asleep the night before and the memories from the night before began to fall back into place.

He'd told Gerard that the two brothers could take the bed after Mikey had texted him mom to let her know he wasn't coming home that night, that he needed a break from everything going on and that he was going to stay with a friend. Mikey had offered to take the couch but Frank knew the brothers would probably be up late talking and not wanting to be apart after just having found each other again. Gerard was excited, clapping his hands together and reminding Mikey about the sleepovers they'd used to have in his room when they were kids, building blanket forts and sneaking soda from the kitchen.

Once the boys were hidden away in the bedroom, playing Super Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch that Frank had helped them hook up to the TV, the agent finally collapsed onto the lumpy pleather cushions of their sectional. It was around two in the morning when Frank had woken up to the soft footsteps of his boyfriend plodding into the living room before he felt Gerard curl up on top of him on the couch.

"What's wrong, baby?" Frank's voice was rough with sleep as he brushed his fingertips across Gee's cheekbone.

"Miss you, 'n I sleep better with you," Gerard mumbled in reply. "Love."

"I love you too," Frank whispered back after his boyfriend's sleep addled declaration. He wiggled into a sitting position around his boyfriend's sprawled body and scooped the boy into his arms to carry him back towards the bedroom. As much as he loved the younger man, their couch wasn't the comfiest to begin with, and having his boyfriend sleep directly on top of him for hours wouldn't do any favors to Frank's back. Besides, he was worried that Mikey would wake up in an unfamiliar place by himself. The kid's psyche was already frayed, he didn't need any more anxiety.

Gerard stirred as Frank gently set him down on their mattress, and he quickly reached for Frank's hand, gripping it as firmly as he could with his sleep-weakened muscles. With his eyes barely opened, Gee shifted towards the center of the bed and pulled back the blankets for Frank to climb in. When the agent hesitated, eyeing the teen and wondering how he'd react to sharing a bed with his brother and his brother's boyfriend, Gerard opened his eyes wider and gave Frank a pleading look that was completely unfair with how little the older man was able to resist.

"Please, Frankie? Mikey's skinny, you're small, and I'll be in the middle."

Frank sighed and gave in, his love of cuddling his boyfriend outweighing any potential awkwardness or threat of falling in the middle of the night. With Gee's steady breathing and the warmth pressed snugly to his chest, Frank was out like a light within minutes.

Now, in the early hours of the morning as he folded the blanket and sipped at the dark roast he'd poured into his chipped Frankenstein mug, he thought about the conversation he was going to have to have with the two Way boys before he left for work and he wasn't looking forward to it. The law enforcement officer in Frank knew that Mikey was going to have to go back home and that neither of the brothers would be thrilled to hear it.

"Don't make me go back there, Frank. Aren't you supposed to protect people? You know the kind of people our mom and dad are, and I don't--I can't, okay?" Mikey's face had gone a deathly pale when Frank had poured each boy a mug and sat them down on the couch to talk. Gerard was clinging to his brother's arm, angry tears in his eyes as he stared down his boyfriend after the agent had broken the news that they were going to have to take Mikey back to Jersey that night.

"I know, Mikes. Believe me, I get it. But I need you to hear me out," Frank said as he turned to look at Gerard. "Both of you."

The two were mirror images, nervously picking at the fabric on their legs. Mikey's, a pair of borrowed sweatpants from Frank that were about four inches too short, and Gerard's, a pair of Wonder Woman pajama shorts he'd stolen from his old roommate. When Mikey nodded curtly for Frank to continue, the agent took a large sip of his coffee and leaned forward in the chair with his elbows on his knees.

"First, this isn't permanent, you going back to your parents' house. If you want out, if you want to stay here, we're going to do everything we can to make that happen. Gee and I, both. Got it?"

"I do want that. I'll sleep on the couch and I can get a job to help with the groceries and stuff, I swear!" Mikey's voice raised a few notes while he pleaded to the older man, Gerard reaching up to comb his fingers through his younger brother's hair.

"Whoa, dude. Don't even think about that stuff. You are always going to be welcome here, Mikey. This is just as much your home as it is ours."

"Except for right now, apparently," Gerard muttered, still bitter at Frank's earlier words.

"Gee," the agent admonished gently before turning back to Mikey and continuing. "If you were to stay right now, without your mom's permission, she could call the police and Gerard and I could get in trouble."

"But--" Mikey tried to cut in, Frank already knowing he was going to try and say it was his choice to leave.

"Even if you told them you were here willingly, we're are both adults and you're legally still a child. It's our responsibility to notify your legal guardian that you're here, and if the police found you, they'd have a legal obligation to take you back home." Frank took another sip of coffee, pressing his tattooed fingers to his temple to relieve some of the pressure that had been building. "If your mom wanted to push it, she could say that we kidnapped you. You know she wouldn't hesitate to call the cops out of spite and kidnapping's a federal offense, especially with us crossing state lines. Realistically it wouldn't go very far, but there's still a good chance that would lead me to be suspended while it was being investigated. Or even fired if she won. And while I'd gladly give up my job for you guys in a heartbeat, that kind of thing wouldn't look very good in family court."

"Family court?" Mikey and Gerard had both relaxed a little with Frank's explanation, but they still didn't understand the plan he'd been coming up with to help get Mikey out of the Way house.

"We could file for custody. Gerard is your immediate family member, and an adult, and he can petition to become your legal guardian. My partner, Scully, has a lawyer friend who specializes in custody cases so she's going to get us in touch with someone good in Jersey."

"How long will that take," Gerard asked apprehensively.

"It could take a while, I'm not gonna lie. But we can also file for emergency custody as soon as we get in touch with the lawyer. I'm not sure how good our chances will be since Mikey's not being physically abused or anything like that," he turned his attention from his boyfriend back to the teen, "but we're going to do whatever we can to get you out of there as quickly as possible, Mikes. The biggest thing is that we have to do this above the board to give us our best chance. And that means having to take you back home tonight."

Gerard ducked his head down onto Mikey's shoulder as the teen closed his eyes and nodded. Frank reached over the coffee table from his chair and gave the kid a friendly nudge to the knee.

"It's going to be okay, Mikey. I made you that promise before and I'm keeping it. You can ask Gee, I'm a persistent little shit and I'm not going to give up. Neither of us are." When Frank packed up to leave for work, he gave them both a hug and a reminder to be safe while they spent the day together before filling up his punk rock thermos with coffee and heading out the door. Throughout the day, he got several texts from Gerard giving him silly updates about what the two were up to or things he'd learned about Mikey that made him smile.

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** We just went and got bagels. Aman says hello. I told him you were back from your trip and he gave me an everything with that vegan veggie cream cheese you like._

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** Never mind. Mikey ate it before we got back to the apartment. I tried to stop him but he's sneaky._

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** Frankie! Did you know Mikey wants to go to college to be an English teacher?? I'm taking him to the bookstore so I can get him some new books with my employee discount. He's so smart!_

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** HE ALSO BELIEVES IN ALIENS!_ 👽 _He's never seen Roswell, though. I'm about to sit him down for all three seasons and turn him into a fanboy like I did to you. #i see the tabasco in the fridge_

_**Gee**_ ❤︎ _ **:** Mikey can TWERK. Dunno if I should be bothered or proud. I'm going with proud. Fraternal genetics, ladies and gents._ 🍑🍑🍑

By the end of the day, Scully had forced him to put his phone on silent because of the constant buzzing on his desk with the play by play of Gerard's entire day. Frank loved it, though. He could read the giddiness in each message and he'd been grinning with each new notification that popped up on his screen.

He'd ducked out a half hour early, taking care to switch subway stations in an effort to lose any of Donald's acquaintances who may have been following him, before meeting the two brothers for the ride back to Jersey. As they settled into their four-seater on the PATH train, Frank felt like he could've cut the tension with a knife.

Gerard and Mikey were sitting together facing Frank, with Gerard clutching the sleeve of Mikey's sweatshirt so hard that his knuckles were turning white. The artist's feet were hooked onto the edge of Frank's seat and the agent was doing his best to rub soothing circles onto Gee's ankles with the rough skin of his thumbs. The trio was silent for most of ride, nobody knowing exactly what to say. The bus took them closer to Belleville and Gerard was discretely wiping away the tears that were welling up, though Frank was pretty sure Mikey noticed. When they got off at their stop, Gee's sleeves were soaked with sadness and he'd managed to pull so many loose threads that the hem of his skirt had fallen over his right thigh.

Mikey had all but shut down, his face stoic and his jaw clenched. The way his shoulders were hunched though, effectively folding him in on himself, gave away his nerves. They paused awkwardly at the covered bus bench. Frank cleared his throat and spoke, trying to keep his voice from wavering as his words fought their way past the lump that had settled into his throat somewhere under the Hudson River.

"Do you want us to walk you home? I'm not sure if that would make things better or worse, especially if your mom sees us."

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Mikey was quiet, but Frank could tell he was holding back.

"It's not that, Mikes. We don't want to leave you, and a few more blocks is a few more minutes before we have to say goodbye. I just want to make sure you're okay with the potential shit storm."

The teen nodded and motioned for them to follow, scuffing his ratty New Balances on the sidewalk as they continued to walk in silence. As they rounded the corner of the block and ducked onto the side street that led to the Way's neighborhood, Gerard reached out and clutched Frank's hand tightly. It took the agent a moment to register that some of the anxiety he'd felt rolling off his boyfriend wasn't just from the impending separation but that this was the first time he would be back at his childhood home since he'd been beaten within inches of his life. As the realization hit Frank, he stopped suddenly and cursed under his breath. Mikey turned and saw the look of sheer terror on his brother's face, and Frank could tell he'd just made the connection as well.

"Shit, Gee. You don't--I can go from here. I'll be okay." Gerard shook his head, his eyes closing as he tried to work through the panic that was creeping in. Frank pulled him into a tight hug, letting the artist bury his face in the agent's chest knowing it always helped him find a sense of calm when the thoughts were getting overwhelming in his brain.

"It's okay, baby. I've got you. You're safe with us and he can't hurt you any more," Frank murmured into Gee's hair. After a few minutes of deep breathing, the younger boy managed to collect himself and pull back from his boyfriend's embrace. Mikey stepped forward and placed a tentative hand on Gerard's shoulder. 

"Really, Gee, we can say goodbye here."

"No, I--I think I need to do this." 

"Are you sure, baby?" Frank was concerned, but he understood Gerard's need to face part of what had been haunting his nightmares for years. The artist nodded and laced his fingers back through Frank's, gripping tightly and pasting a tight smile on his face as he looked at his brother.

"I'm sure. I want to see Mikey home and there's no better time for me to do this than right now, ya'know? Both of you with me."

"That's not my home, Gee," Mikey said softly, the bitterness biting through the near-whisper like acid. "It hasn't been my home since you left. Home isn't a place where you're scared and sad. Home is where you feel safe and loved. You're my home, Gerard. You always have been."

Frank smiled, having heard almost the same sentiment from his boyfriend before. Having grown up the way they did, both brothers shared the same value that a home wasn't as tangible as brick and mortar. Gerard leaned forward and pulled Mikey into a hug with the arm that wasn't latched onto Frank.

"We're gonna get you back home soon, Mikey. This won't be for long, I swear."

As they made their way down the street, Gerard safely flanked on either side by Frank and Mikey, the trio turned around the bend of the road and the large, looming house came into sight. Frank felt Gerard's fingers tighten around his own and he whispered soft words of encouragement into his boyfriend's ear. They'd barely made it onto the driveway when the front door slammed open and Donna all but bolted towards them, screeching into the evening air.

"Michael James Way, you get away from that man this instant!" The bottle blonde yanked her youngest son's arm causing him to stumble forward as she tried to drag him back towards the house.

"Hey, don't touch him like that! He can walk on his own." Frank knew it would set her off but he wasn't going to stand by and watch Mikey be treated like that by his mother. Donna whipped around, dropping her claws from the teen's bicep and glaring at the agent.

"You have no right to speak to me. You are nothing more than a liar," she hissed, "and I will not have you anywhere near my family. Get off my property and don't ever contact Michael again."

"He reached out to me, Donna. I can't stop that, and I'm doing the right thing bringing him back now."

Behind Donna and Mikey, Frank could see Nikki and another woman watching the scene unfold from the doorway. Nikki's still lecherous gaze prickled on his skin and he pulled Gerard closer, wrapping a strong arm around the trembling boy's waist. He watched smugly as the realization dawned on her face, Frank showing his love for the man wearing a skirt. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by Donna either, and a sharp intake of breath brought the agent's attention back to the seething woman in front of him.

"Gerard?" 

Frank felt the boy tense up even more than he'd been before, but he made no move to answer her or acknowledge her recognition. Frank just watched as Gee stared darkly into his mother's eyes, the years of hate and anger pouring off of him in waves. He could see the gears turning in Donna's mind as she made the connection between the agent and the son she'd disowned.

"Donald didn't say--this was you, your fault, wasn't it?"

Gerard remained silent for a moment, trying to find the words he needed to say. When he spoke, it was careful and measured, though there was a bite to his tone that made the woman flinch.

"You can think what you want, but if this is anyone's fault, it's yours. It was bad enough that you stood there and watched what your husband did to me for years. Bad enough that you're so broken, you don't have a single maternal instinct to love your child. But you took it way too far when you made the choice to bring your other child--oh, my mistake, your _only_ child--when you made the choice to bring him up in this kind of life. How _dare_ you put him in danger like that."

Gee broke away from the safety of Frank's arm and took a step towards his mother, his shoulders squared and fists clenched at his side. A sickening smile crawled onto his face as she cowered back in intimidation.

"I hope you get everything that's coming to you for all of the damage you've done. I hope you feel the pain I felt every morning waking up before I found happiness again. I can't wait to watch your world crumble from all of the choices you've made when everything catches up with you."

Donna's face fell, no doubt thinking of the repercussions she was facing after her husband's arrest. 

"How can you stand there and smile while they do this to your brother? To me? Your father is going to prison. The business is gone. They're going to take our home and we'll be left with nothing!"

"Mikey will always have a home with me. As for you, you're on your own. You put me out on the street when I was barely old enough to take care of myself. But you've got years on me, I'm sure you'll figure out how to survive being homeless." Gerard turned and pulled Mikey into a tight hug, whispering something in his brother's ear that Frank couldn't make out. He didn't need to, though. Those words were for Mikey and based on the look of relief that washed over his face, they were exactly what the teen needed to hear. When Gerard stepped back, he took Frank's hand and began to lead him back down the driveway so they could make their way home.

Pausing to take one last look over his shoulder, Gee spat out, "a word to the wise, it gets cold in the winter here. You might want to invest in a good coat so you don't die like I almost did when I was sleeping on the streets. It would be a shame, with no one left who would love you enough to attend your funeral."

―

It took a little over two weeks, but Gerard had been granted emergency temporary custody of Mikey. The lead up to the judge's decision was hectic, a rush of midday meetings with their lawyer and a full weekend of apartment touring since they'd need to show they had a separate bedroom for Mikey. They were worried about the cost of breaking their lease but Frank heard through the grapevine that one of the newer agents was looking for an apartment closer to the office so he could get out of his parents place in Staten Island. One sublet and a hefty security deposit later, he and Gerard had a new two bedroom a few blocks away from the sixth-floor walk-up they'd called home.

Aside from their new digs, the Bureau officially bringing charges against Donna Way for her part in "cooking the books," so to speak, helped their petition for custody. Despite both she and Donald getting out on bail, their house had been seized for having been purchased with dirty money and they'd moved in with Nikki's mother. Mikey's letter pleading for him to be allowed to stay with his law-abiding older brother that their lawyer had presented to the judge went a long way in her granting the emergency custody to Gerard. The lawyer that Scully's friend had recommended even had some pull with the court because he was able to get the date moved up for their big custody hearing.

Frank and Gerard worked together with the lawyer to help build their case, citing Gerard's abuse and abandonment along with his parents' current charges as their reasoning behind the petition. On a whim, Frank had managed to track down the old guidance counselor who had been suspicious of Gerard's home life. After she'd learned that they wouldn't be able to charge her with failing to report and accepting a bribe due to the statute of limitations, she'd written an official statement and provided bank records showing that she had received monthly payments from an account in Donna's name for seven years following a threat from Donald Way to turn a blind eye and leave the school.

With Gerard's permission, Frank had also reached out to the local hospital he'd managed to drag himself to after the night he'd been kicked out. Though he hadn't given them his name or real age at the time and he'd snuck out the following morning with his ribs reset and bandages where his skin had broken from the beating, the hospital was able to match the records with Frank's help and release them to Gerard. Gee had even gotten into contact with several of the old friends he'd stayed with while he finished high school and they'd written statements to enter as evidence.

Things were looking up for their new family. They'd settled in nicely to their new apartment after a few trips to Ikea, and Mikey's help putting together his new bedroom furniture kept Frank from having an aneurysm like he did with the entertainment center. Mikey's principal had even given him permission to finish out the rest of his school year online given the circumstances, so he was able to take his classes and work on his homework from his laptop in the living room.

The three were on their way meet the Captain, Greta, and Carter for Mikey's first Sunday night dinner when Frank decided he was going to duck into the bathroom at the station. He was washing his hands when he heard Mikey's panicked voice shouting for him and his hand flew instinctively towards the gun he had concealed in the cant holster tucked into his waistband. He peered around the corner of the doorway and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw both Gerard and Mikey standing where he'd left them on the platform. Gee's face had gone pale, though, and he was cradling his cell phone in his shaking hands.

"Gee, what's wrong? What happened?" Frank reached his boyfriend in an instant and was rubbing his thumbs against Gerard's cheeks, looking with concern into the younger boy's eyes. The artist was having trouble speaking so Frank looked over to Mikey for clarification.

"Dad called. He must've gotten the number from our cell phone company--I didn't think about me still being on their plan. I'm really sorry!" Mikey was upset.

"So not your fault, dude. Remind me tomorrow and Gee and I can add a line to ours. I'll see if we can change our numbers, too." Frank turned his attention back to Gerard and wrapped his arms gently around the boy. "Are you okay, baby? Did he say something bad?"

Gerard nodded but when he opened his mouth, a small whimper came out in place of any words. 

"He hung up as soon as he heard Dad's voice, but he keeps calling back." As if on cue, Gerard's phone began to buzz in his hand again. Frank pulled out his phone and quickly opened the camera app, aiming it at the screen so you could see the calling number. It was noisy in the station, not the best place to record, but it was the best option he had on such short notice. He gently took the phone from Gerard and slid his thumb across the screen to answer the call, turning on the speaker before he said anything.

"Hello?"

"It's not very nice to hang up on your father, Gerard."

"What do you want?" Frank kept his voice pitched higher, not anywhere close to Gerard's but it would do in the noisy station, especially for a man who hadn't heard him speak in over five years.

"I just wanted to give you a little warning, something to look forward to, so to speak. Your boyfriend seems to think that I'm not much of a man and I'd beg to differ. A man doesn't hide the way he did, lying to my face and disrespecting my family. So instead, I'm going to tell you exactly what's going to happen. I'm giving you my word as a man."

Gerard buried his face in Frank's chest as Donald continued, with Mikey leaning forward so he could better hear the menacing voice on the other end of the line.

"I know where to find that rat you've been fucking, and I'm going to find you, too. And when I do, I'm going to finish what I started that night, all those years ago. And when you're gone, and your little fairy is out for revenge like I know he will be? I'm going to show him first hand what I did to you that night, except I'll finish the job so you can both burn in hell together."

Frank felt the damp fabric of his shirt as Gerard silently cried against him and he leaned his chin down to nuzzle at the boy's head, since both of his hands were busy with the phones.

"I'd enjoy your time while you can. You've tried to turn my son against me and you may think you've won, but when you're gone, he's going to learn about the consequences of his actions. He'll be begging to be back in my good graces by the time I'm through with him. And there will be nothing you can do to stop it." Frank heard a dark laugh on the other side of the speaker, noting Mikey's panicked gaze and Gerard's constant trembling. He'd heard enough and made a move to hang up the call. Before he could press the button, the Capo's voice cut through once more.

"Sleep well tonight, Gerard. We'll be seeing you soon."


	10. Chapter 10

The empty waiting room was quiet, the silence only making the ringing in Frank's ears louder. The authoritative voices of doctors and nurses barking out orders and the cries of pain from the patients in the emergency room were echoing through his mind. Now, as he sat in the all but empty room in the early hours of the morning, he wished for the chaos once again--anything to cut through the fear that had settled over Frank like a choking fog.

Mikey was asleep on the small couch a few feet to the agent's left. His face, even while unconscious, was tense with worry. His cheeks were covered in dried tears, and his shirt and jeans were still stained with his brother's blood. One of the nurses had suggested he go home to change but the mere mention sent the teen spiraling into a panic attack. Thankfully, Scully and the Captain were on their way and Frank's partner had offered to bring a change of clothes.

The soft hiss of a glass door sliding open caught Frank's attention and the agent immediately stood as a doctor in grey scrubs and a surgical cap walked into the waiting room. His face was weary, having been in surgery for several hours by that time. Frank tried to read the expression the older man was wearing for any sign of what he was about to say. As the doctor reached up to pull his cap off, Mikey stirred.

"Frank? Have you heard anything?" The agent crossed over to the teen and helped him stand, gesturing over to the doorway where the doctor stood. Mikey clutched at Frank's hand and gripped it tightly, both of their knuckles turning white as they braced themselves for the news. The doctors voice was practiced, his words technical though he did his best to help them understand. It didn't matter much as neither Frank nor Mikey heard anything after his first sentence.

Frank couldn't help but fall to his knees on the hard linoleum floor as the news overwhelmed his exhausted mind. His vision was tunneling and the blood was rushing through his ears so quickly that the only sounds the agent could hear were his own pulse and his ragged breathing. As the doctor knelt beside him, offering an empathetic hand on his shoulder, Frank's mind raced through everything that had led up to that moment--Frank sobbing on the floor of the hospital, Mikey standing above him and covered in his brother's blood, and somewhere, Gerard laying still and silent in a cold hospital gurney.

The night that Gerard had received the threatening phone call from his father, Gerard was determined to not let the fear overwhelm him. He'd listened to Frank's protective words, allowing himself to calm down from the initial shock of hearing his father's hurtful voice for the first time in years, before insisting the three of them continue towards the Captain's home for dinner. Thankfully, the happiness of the evening took over and the threats made against the three faded into the background of exciting news and new introductions.

Carter had instantly taken to Mikey and he spent most of the evening latched onto the teen's back, being carried around in a forced piggy-back ride that, at times, more closely resembled Mikey being strangled by a hyperactive boa constrictor.

"If you're Uncle Gee's brother, does that mean you're my cousin, Mikey?" Frank and Gerard were cuddled on the couch next to Greta while the Captain watched from the kitchen counter as his son directed Mikey around the open floor like he was his own personal pony.

"Not quite, little dude. Uncle Frank's and Uncle Gee's baby would be your cousin."

"Uncle Frankie and Uncle Gee are having a baby too? Momma," Carter exclaimed, his face lighting up, "that means their new baby can be best friends with Mothman! And then I can be best friends with Mikey!"

Though Frank and Gerard were used to Carter's sometimes nonsensical babbling, the tyke's jabber caught their attention. Their heads were comically whipping back and forth between the Captain and Greta, waiting for someone to confirm what they'd just heard.

"Well," Greta finally said with a smile, "we were going to wait until after dinner, but I guess there's no time like the present. Carter's about six months away from being a big brother. We're having a baby."

"Yeah, and we're gonna name it Mothman!" Carter's words were barely heard over Gerard's overjoyed squeal as he clapped his hands together in excitement. Frank laughed and stood to offer Greta a hug.

"Congratulations, you guys. Christ, that's exciting!"

"Carter, we're not naming the baby Mothman," the Captain sighed. "That would be like if we named you Godzilla."

"Or the chupacabra," Frank added, reaching up to ruffle the kid's hair.

"Oh, I'm going to be an uncle again," Gerard giggled from where he was on his knees in front of Greta, looking at her belly like he could see through the layers of skin and clothes. "Mothman is going to be so tiny, little fingers and toes."

"And fuzzy antennae if Carter's got anything to say about it," Mikey said with a grin.

Later that evening, while Gerard was fawning over tiny socks with Greta and Carter was helping Mikey reenact some of the teen's favorite WWE moves, Frank pulled the Captain aside to tell him about the phone call Gerard had gotten that night.

"I'm scared, Cap. I know hits are rare these days, but Donald already knows he's going to prison and he's got a personal vendetta against me and Gee. He doesn't care about getting caught as long as he gets the job done first."

"I'll talk to management about putting some agents on you guys, keeping an eye on the apartment and following Gerard when he goes to work. They can keep an eye on anything suspicious."

"I don't think that'll be enough. By the time they saw anything, it would be too late."

"It's still something, isn't it?"

Frank was quiet, thinking through plans he'd been making in his head for the better part of the evening. Plans that involved everything from asking Gerard to quit his job so he wouldn't have to leave the apartment, to bribing everyone involved in the trial to try and get the date moved up and get Donald behind bars as quickly as possible.

"What if we ran away? Left the city and went off the grid? It would mean leaving the Bureau and leaving you guys, I know, but--" The agent trailed off, worried about what the Captain would say to the possibility of losing Frank.

"Frank, you have to take care of your family. That always comes first, I get it. If someone was trying to hurt Greta, or Carter, or--"

"Mothman," Frank teased, despite the worry he was feeling.

"-- _or the baby_ , I would do whatever I could to keep them safe. But you have Mikey. Even though Gerard has custody, that doesn't mean you can go into hiding without their parents knowing."

"I can't think of another way to keep them safe."

"Someone would find you, Iero-- cops or criminals. They'd put out an Amber Alert and they'd take Mikey away for good. He'd either end up back with his parents or in the system, neither of which are good options. You know that."

"What should I do, Cap?"

"I don't know," the Captain said with chagrin, rubbing his temples as he thought. "I'll talk to the Bureau, have them listen to the phone call, see what we can do."

That night when they'd gotten back to Manhattan, they found two police officers in the lobby of their building. Gerard gripped Frank's hand tightly and pulled Mikey into his side, anxiety flooding back onto his face. Frank approached the officers, flashing his badge to them hoping it would help him get the most information.

"Hey, I live upstairs. Is everything okay here?"

"Seems to be. One of your neighbors called in and reported a man trying to get into the building. She said she didn't like the looks of him," the first officer said.

"We thought it might've been a race thing at first, but after talking to her, she described him as a younger blonde male, white, with 'angry eyes.' He was gone by the time we got here," the second officer added. Frank's mind immediately recalled Way's blonde soldier who had been watching him for the past few weeks. He'd been very careful to not let the man follow him to their new apartment, but he couldn't help the icy needles of fear that stabbed at his skin as he wondered if they'd been found.

"We waited here for a bit to see if he'd come back, but no dice. We're going to pack up but if you see anything suspicious, give us a call." Frank shook their hands as they made to leave.

"Will do, thanks for checking it out, guys. Could you tell me which neighbor it was? I want to introduce myself, give her my number if she gets nervous again, ya'know?"

"Her name was Biddlecomb. Martha Biddlecomb She's up in 2C." Mikey snorted, Frank assumed at the woman's name, but he paid it little mind.

They said their goodbyes to the officers and Frank walked Gerard and Mikey up to their third-floor apartment before walking back down one flight of steps and knocking on their neighbor's door. When she opened it after shouting through the metal to ask who it was and warning him that she had a taser, Frank was met with an elderly woman who he could only describe as crotchety. Her gaze was narrow as she glared at the agent, her wrinkled mouth pursed into a scowl. She was wearing a dressing gown that brushed the floor, but Frank caught a glimpse of Mikey Mouse slippers under the flannel fabric.

"Mrs. Biddlecomb? My name is Frank Iero, and I live upstairs. I talked to the police and they said you saw someone suspicious trying to get into the building?"

"I did," she said, still wary of what Frank was doing at her door at nine in the evening.

"I just wanted to give you my phone number in case you see him again, or if there's ever any other situation where you feel unsafe here. I'm an FBI agent." Her face lit up at the revelation.

"You must be Mikey's brother-in-law!" Frank was startled by her exclamation.

"Well, not yet, but hopefully someday. How do you know Mikey?"

"That lovely young man helped me carry up a heavy bag of dog food for my Thadeus." As if on cue, a large pit bull with a black collar covered in sharp studs trotted into the room. He nudged at Frank until the agent leaned down to scratch the fur behind his ears. "Mikey's been coming down to visit in the afternoons for coffee, and he mentioned that he had just moved here with his older brother and his brother's partner, the FBI agent."

"He's a good kid. We've been happy to have him with us."

"He tells me you enjoy music. You'll have to come back with your Gerard sometime soon and I can tell you all of the juicy details about my backstage romps with the Stooges. I was in a rather wild relationship with Ron for the better part of a year."

"Holy shit, _the_ Stooges? Like, Iggy Pop?"

" _The_ Stooges, my dear. But for now, I'll have to ask you to leave. It's late, I'm in a bathrobe, and you are a grown man. That's a recipe for gossip if you stay any longer. I'll take your number, though. Having my own personal FBI agent on speed dial is going to make all of the ladies in my seniors Krav Maga class jealous."

Frank laughed and handed her one of his business cards, narrowly avoiding the playful slap to his backside as she pushed him out into the hallway. When he made his way back upstairs, he saw Mikey grinning at him from their couch, Gerard curled up on the cushion next to him, already asleep.

"Did she pinch your butt or bite your head off? It's one or the other with her," the teen said with a wry smile.

"She tried to smack my ass on the way out the door, after telling me about how I was going to make her old lady friends jealous."

"You're lucky. She hates Joe down in 1B, the one who looks like junior partner at some law firm named after twelve different people? I'm pretty sure she's trying to train Thad to pee on the dude's welcome mat, that's how big of a douche she thinks he is." Mikey grinned evilly.

"What did he do?"

"I think it had something to do with talking on his Bluetooth thing."

"God, I hate those."

"So does she, apparently."

Frank reached out and ruffled Mikey's hair, earning him a flurry of slaps to the wrist and a few choice insults, which only made him laugh. He'd never had a sibling and was living out the years he'd been deprived of teasing and torment. Thankfully, Mikey seemed to enjoy having Frank around and held his own, pranking the agent back whenever the opportunity arose. Mikey made a move to poke Gerard and wake him up, but Frank stopped him. Instead, the tattooed man gently picked up his sleeping boyfriend and carried him into their bedroom.

The following Tuesday morning, Frank noticed a sleek, black sedan parked halfway down the block as he was leaving for the office. The Captain had texted him that there would be two agents watching their apartment and following Gerard to work starting that morning. He was still nervous, but it was a little more comforting than having no one looking out for the Way brothers while he was at work.

When Frank got a frantic call from Mikey that evening, he felt the choke of panic in his throat.

"Mikes, what is it? What's wrong?" Frank's voice was wild with worry.

"They found us, I think. I don't know what to do!"

"Are they there? What's going on?" The agent was out of his desk and walking towards the door within moments.

"I was walking Thad and I forgot my key so I went to buzz Mrs. Biddlecomb so she could open the lobby door, but there was writing on our apartment's name plate and I know you keep it blank so I was curious. Someone scratched 'Frank the Rat' on the plastic next to our buzzer. It's got to be him, right? They know where we live?"

"Mikey, I need you to get inside, right now. Go to Mrs. Biddlecomb's apartment and stay there. Is Gee home, yet?"

"He texted that he was on his way home. Oh, wait! I see him, he's at the end of the block. I'll wait--"

"No, Mikes, go inside, please. I'll call Gerard--"

"Fuck--" Mikey's voice was muffled like he'd pulled the phone away from his ear. "Dad! Don't--Gerard! Dad, please don't--"

Frank wanted to shout into the phone, to ask what was happening, but he couldn't afford to distract the teen. Not knowing what was happening, any distraction could be disastrous. He listened to Mikey beg and plead for his father to stop whatever he was doing, the teen's running footsteps pounding the pavement echoing over the speaker pressed to Frank's ear.

The series of gunshots that followed were deafening. Frank stumbled on the sidewalk a few feet away from the opening of the subway station and gripped the phone so tightly he was sure it would break. He heard Mikey shouting for his older brother, his voice breaking like he was crying.

"Frank, he shot Gee. He shot--you have to get here. Oh God, there's so much blood. I can't--what do I do?" Tears were running down the agent's face but he fought to keep his composure as he raced down the steps of the station and swiped his card at the turnstile.

"Mikey, can you hear me? Are the other agents there?"

"Yeah, they shot Dad after he--Gerard--fuck, he's bleeding badly, Frank."

"Okay, are you wearing a hoodie?"

"Yeah," Mikey choked out.

"Take it off, ball it up, and push down on the wound. Is Gee awake?"

"His eyes are closed but his mouth is moving like he's trying to breathe--I don't think he can breathe. Should I do CPR? I don't know how to do CPR. Frank, I don't know how--where are you?"

"I'm on my way, Mikey. I'm coming. Just keep pressing down, as hard as you can without breaking his bones." Frank heard one of the agent's voices as she arrived at Gee's side.

"Mikey, right?" Frank heard the other agent addressing the teen. "An ambulance is on the way. Have you called Agent Iero?"

"He's on the phone."

"Put him on speaker," she barked out. "Iero? This is Agent Alexander. We have a bus coming and we'll get him to Mount Sinai if you want to meet us there."

"Okay--okay, yeah. I'm going to get on the subway now and I'll be there as fast as I can."

"Frank?" Mikey's voice was feeble as he took the phone back.

"Listen, Mikes. It's gonna be okay, okay? You ride with Gee and talk to him, let him know you're there. The paramedics are going to take care of him, and the doctors, and he's going to be alright. I'm probably going to lose signal soon, the train is leaving, but I'll be there so soon. I promise."

"Okay, please hurry, Frank."

"As fast as I can, kid. Could you--" Frank's voice broke. "Please tell him that I love him, Mikey."

"I will." Frank wasn't sure if Mikey hung up after that, or if the call dropped as the subway moved further into the tunnels, but suddenly the agent was met with silence on the other end of the line. His head dropped into his hands as the tears continued to fall. An elderly gentleman on the seat beside him offered a crumpled tissue from his jacket pocket, and Frank took it with a watery smile of thanks.

The train moved quickly along the tracks but each minute felt like an hour. Eighteen minutes and six stops later, Frank was sprinting down the sidewalk towards the emergency room of the hospital. When he reached the doors and burst through, striding past the front desk into the trauma bay. He saw Mikey standing outside of a closed door, his forehead pressed against the glass window as his shoulders shook with sobs.

"Mikey," Frank called as he strode towards the teen. Mikey fell against the older man as Frank pulled him into a tight hug. Over Mikey's shoulder, Frank could see into the room and watched as a team of doctors and nurses moved around his boyfriend, cutting away clothing and pushing drugs through syringes that fed into the tubes connected to Gerard's arms. His eyes were closed and he had a breathing tube, but Frank couldn't see his chest move. If it weren't for the machine displaying his vitals, Frank would think he was dead.

Behind them, Frank could hear people coughing and children crying from the lobby, waiting for their turn to be seen by the doctors. On the other side of the door, Frank could hear the machines beeping and hissing over the medical professionals' voices shouting directions. The noises were overwhelming, but Frank tried to breathe through the chaos as he watched his boyfriend fighting for his life a few feet away. The pair moved as the doors opened and Gerard was wheeled out on the gurney and pushed down the hall. Frank and Mikey followed, but one of the nurses held them back.

"They're taking him in for surgery. If you'll follow me, I can take you to the waiting room."

While they walked, the nurse explained that Gerard had been shot twice. One bullet was lodged in his chest where the wound had caused his lung to collapse. The other bullet had gone in near his stomach and had exited just to the side of his kidney.

"Is he going to be okay?" Mikey held Frank's arm for support as they walked down the hallway.

"They're going to try and remove the bullet near his lung and get him breathing on his own again. Thankfully, it looks like the other bullet missed anything vital so they're anticipating they will be able to get that patched up pretty well." The nurse turned around a corner, walking through a set of sliding glass doors, and pointed towards the chairs and couches that lined the walls of the waiting room. He helped them settle in and pointed out the coffee machine and vending machines before continuing. "Your guy's a fighter, though, I'll give you that. We're going to do everything we can to get him back to you."

Frank and Mikey waited for hours, watching as the few people that had been in the room with them left after receiving news from the doctors. Each time a doctor or nurse would walk through the doors, they'd wait to hear Gerard's name but it never sounded. Around two in the morning, the Captain called Frank's cell phone.

"Cap?"

"Oh, Frank, I'm so sorry. We just heard, Alexander called his Unit Chief with the news and she just tracked me down. Scully and I are on our way. Are you still at Sinai?"

"Yeah. He's in surgery. We're just waiting to hear something. Is Donald--did they get him?"

"Donald is dead. He died on the scene. He'd pulled his gun too quickly for them to stop it, but they took him out before he could do any more."

"He did enough," Frank bit out.

"I know, Frank. I'm so sorry. Do you need us to bring anything? Scully said she'd stop by your apartment on the way."

"Some clothes for Mikey. I'm okay."

"Okay, I'll let her know. Hang in there, Iero. He's going to pull through. You know how strong he is."

Frank hung up and went to buy another cup of coffee from the machine. Mikey had passed out around midnight, exhausted from everything that had happened that night. Frank's head was too frantic for him to get some sleep. As he sipped his coffee and stared at the dark red stains on the knees of Mikey's jeans where he'd knelt beside his brother's body on the street, Frank felt angry at himself for not doing more.

He should've never brought Gerard up to Donald in the interrogation. He should've been more cautious about people following him. He should've taken Mikey and Gerard out of the city the second they'd gotten the phone call from Donald. Frank could've done so much more to keep them safe. He was spiraling down into a dark and angry place when the doors finally opened again and the doctor stepped in to give them the news.

"Frank? Have you heard anything?" Mikey stood off the couch, waking up from the brief sleep he was able to get. Frank felt the teen grip his hand as they faced the doctor. They waited until the doctor had pulled off his surgical cap, his eyes tired and his face weary. Frank's stomach clenched as he anticipated the worst. The fear and anxiety had been swimming through his brain all night but they were louder now, screaming into the darkness that had shrouded his mind.

"You're Gerard's family?" Frank nodded, feeling Mikey's grip tighten on his hand as they clung to each other for support, both fearing the worst for the boy they loved so much. As Frank's thoughts raced with what would happen if Gerard died, what would happen to Mikey, how they would both manage in a world without the happiness that Gee shared with them, his eyes welled up with tears. He stared into the surgeon's eyes, hoping for a glimpse of anything that would take away the pain. 

The doctor's next words echoed through his head as Frank fell to his knees, completely overwhelmed. He was on the verge of hyperventilating as the tears dripped down his cheeks, the salt stinging his dry skin. He kept repeating the news over and over in his mind, as if the repetition would tattoo the words onto his soul.

"Gerard is out of surgery and in a critical stable condition, but he's alive."

_He's alive_.


	11. Chapter 11

Frank stood in front of the mirror and stared back at his reflection. Despite almost three years passing since Gee's shooting, there were still some days where Frank hated the man he saw on the other side of the glass. It had taken him months of therapy to forgive himself but there were times where self-loathing kept him from feeling like he was able wake up in the morning. It was something that had driven a wedge between the couple and he knew Gerard would've pulled him away and given the older man a stern talk if he'd been there to see Frank getting down on himself again. The artist hated the guilt that the agent carried with him. Frank remembered one of their big fights after Gerard had come home from the hospital.

He'd been sleeping on the couch, which he insisted was because he didn't want to risk hurting Gee in his sleep while the younger boy was still healing, but the voice nagging in the back of his mind reminded him every minute that he no longer deserved to be with Gerard. He'd take care of him, make sure he had everything he could ever need, but the kisses and hugs and cuddles that made Frank feel happier than he could ever imagine weren't something he could accept any more.

Gerard had carefully wandered out into the living room, his hand pressed against his side where bandages were taped to cover one of his wounds. When Frank had heard his feet shuffling on the carpet, he immediately jumped up.

"Gee, are you okay? What do you need?"

"No, I'm not okay, Frankie. What I need is for you to come back to bed with me. I miss you."

Frank felt his stomach clench. "I can't, Gee. I don't want to hurt you any more."

"Any more? What are you talking about, Frank?"

"What if I elbow you and you start bleeding internally?" His voice was weak as the excuse fell past his lips.

"Come to bed, sugar. Please."

Frank sank back down onto the couch cushions and drew his knees to his chest.

"Frank, what's wrong? Why are you pushing me away?" Gerard's face was full of worry as he sat next to the agent.

"You're hurt, and it's my fault. I could've gotten you killed, Gee. I can't--I can't do that to you again."

Frank watched as his boyfriend's face grew stormy, anger clouding his features.

"Okay, hold on. I need you to listen to me, Frank Iero. This was _not_ your fault. The only person responsible for this is the man who shot me, and he already got what was coming to him. That's why he's currently six feet under in some cemetery in Jersey. I don't know why you think you hurt me. I've always felt safe with you." The words felt like a knife twisting in Frank's gut.

"How can you feel safe with me? I should've turned down this assignment. I let them use me for my personal connection, my vendetta, to go after your dad. _I let them_ , Gee. And then when I had your dad in the interrogation room, I antagonized him for that confession. I told him about you. I used my love for you to make him angry and that anger got you shot!" The agent's voice broke as he continued. "Gee, I should've taken you and Mikey and we should've left. Screw the consequences, I should've protected you. I put you in danger and then I kept you in a situation that almost got you killed."

"Frankie, please--just--I'm alive, okay? I need you to focus on that part--not what you could've done differently, not what could've happened. You were given an opportunity to bring a criminal to justice. You were given an opportunity to arrest a man who hurt me. You were given an opportunity to reunite me with Mikey." Gerard moved to grab Frank's hand but the older man pulled away. "Sugar, you went into this with the best intentions. Everything you did, you did to make things better. And even though things got a little rough, aren't we in a better place now? We have Mikey, my mom is going to jail, my father is dead, and I'm alive. And we're together--that's the most important thing. You, me, and Mikey. We're alive and we're together."

Tears were rolling down Frank's face. Gerard moved forward again and brought a hand up to wipe Frank's cheek, but the agent flinched at the contact, pulling out of reach once again.

"I can't. I messed up and I can't let that happen again. My job is dangerous. Even though this was your dad, I brought him back into your life. Who's to say the next person I arrest doesn't come after you?"

"That's bullshit, Frank, and you know it." Gerard stood from the couch, grabbing at his side and hissing at the pain. Frank moved to help him but the younger artist swatted the tattooed hand away. "No, fuck that. If you're not going to let me touch you, you sure as hell don't get to try and help me."

Frank tried again, pleading at Gerard with watery eyes, but the younger man was unrelenting in his anger.

"You talk about your job being a risk for my safety? So with that logic, you're saying the Captain is putting Greta and Carter in danger, too? That he's being irresponsible by risking their lives every time he risks his own to take someone hurting innocent people off the streets?" Frank shrank backwards into the cushions as Gerard hurled the biting words in his direction.

"This was a unique situation, Frank. A one-time thing. You've told me about the training they gave you, the precautions they have you take. You know how to keep your personal life out of your arrests and it keeps us safe. This one, though, it was personal from the beginning and we both knew that. We both knew there was that risk but that it would be worth it in the end. And it was. Why can't you see that?"

"There is nothing, Gee, _nothing_ that is worth you almost losing your life!"

"Fucking-- _almost_ , Frank! I didn't die, I'm alive! When this wound heals, and it _will_ heal, you'll have nothing to feel guilty about. Not that you should even feel guilty about this to begin with."

"That's not how guilt works, Gerard. I just don't think I can forgive myself for what I did. I think--I don't--" Frank trailed off for a moment, trying to figure out how to say what was going through his mind. "I'm going to be here to help you recover, while you're healing, ya'know? But then I think I need to leave. I can't put you in danger again and I don't trust myself to keep you safe any more. I can't let you get hurt."

Frank sobbed, his head dropping to his knees. He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to see the expression that he imagined was on Gerard's face. The silence from the younger man didn't help either. It was an angry silence, the tangible kind that stung Frank's skin like acid, offering him no distraction from the emotional pain coursing through his system. When Gerard finally spoke, it was careful and measured, though the bitterness wrapped around his voice dug into Frank's ears.

"Fuck you, Frank Iero," he hissed. "Fuck you if you think leaving would keep me from getting hurt. The thought of that hurts worse than anything my father ever did to me because you love me in a way that he never did."

Frank kept his face hidden away but he could hear Gerard's labored breathing from his still-weak chest as the artist continued.

"I never doubted your love, Frankie, and I want you to know that I still don't. I know somehow you've convoluted this situation, twisted it to hell in your mind, and you're trying to make things right--but this is _not_ the way to do it. We are not giving up on each other. You do _not_ give up on the people you love." Gerard stepped forward and nudged Frank until the agent looked up. Gee's face was red with anger but the sadness in his eyes caught Frank's attention more than anything. He'd never seen heartbreak like this in Gerard before, not in any of the times he'd seen the boy face his sorrows.

"You're going to talk to someone this week. I don't care if it's Cap, or Greta, or a therapist, or Aman from the bagel shop. You're going to talk to someone about what's going on in your head, someone with some outside perspective, and you're going to listen to what they say. Okay?" Frank nodded. "Good. Thank you. Now, I'm going to go back to bed because I'm emotionally exhausted and I need to clear my mind for a bit. I--Frankie, I know you're hurting right now. I want you to hear me when I say that we're going to get through this. Together. Just--please try to get some rest tonight. I love you."

As Frank stared into his own eyes reflected back at him as he thought back on their fight, he became overwhelmed with the love he felt for Gerard. Frank had been so ready to give up, to succumb to his own guilt and self-deprecation, he was so grateful that Gee had fought for them. He'd been amazed by the young artist's strength throughout the course of their relationship, but the resilience he'd carried over the months following the shooting were beyond what Frank could fathom.

Mikey knocked on the door, cracking it open and peeking into the room.

"You ready, dude? We've got ten minutes until we have to go."

"Ready as I'll ever be." Frank grabbed his jacket from the hotel bed where he'd tossed it and shrugged it over his shoulders, following the teen into the hallway and down to the lobby.

When the elevator doors opened, Frank saw the Captain and his family. Carter instantly bolted towards Mikey, his mouth running a mile a minute about the newest idea he had for their shared Minecraft server. Greta was holding her squirming two-year-old daughter, though when Frank approached the family and held his hands out to grab her, the baby tipped sideways towards her uncle as he scooped her up.

"How's my little Luna Moth today?" Luna gave him a toothy, drool-soaked grin before bobbing her head forward and gnawing at the knot of Frank's tie.

"Oh, Luna, no," Greta fussed, reaching forward and trying to rescue Frank's clothing from her daughter's mouth. "I'm sorry, Frank, nothing is safe from Jaws over here."

"Don't worry about it, Gret. A little spit never hurt anyone." He tickled Luna's sides with his free hand, eliciting a loud squeal from her that echoed through the lobby. "I'm just happy she knows me. Uncle Frankie looks a lot different in person than he does on Skype."

A little over a year after the shooting and two months after Mikey's eighteenth birthday, Frank had still been struggling with the fear of Donald Way's associates retaliating against Gerard. Though he was long since cold in his grave, the hit he'd placed on both Frank and Gerard hadn't died with him. The agent undercover in the LCN that had taken over Way's Capo position after his death had passed along the information that Frank and Gerard should stay clear of the DeCavalcante territory in Jersey. The UC agent told the Bureau he wasn't worried about anyone coming into the city, as losing Way and the construction company were big blows to the DeCavalcante's and they didn't want to risk another member going to prison over a personal vendetta, Frank was still wary and felt like he was always looking over his shoulder whenever they went out.

After months of discussion with Gerard, Mikey, Frank's therapist, and the Captain, Frank requested a transfer to the Los Angeles field office. The transfer was approved within a few weeks and they'd moved to the other coast, settling in to a cute rental house in Santa Monica.

The move was bittersweet, having to say goodbye to the Cap and Scully, to Greta and Carter and baby Luna, to Gee's old roommate, and having to say goodbye to the place they'd all grown up and known their whole lives. But California was a change of pace that the three of them hadn't realized they'd needed until they'd gotten there.

Gerard was teaching art at an after school program for teens in the area, and Mikey had enrolled at USC and had a new girlfriend that both Gee and Frank adored. She was a sweetheart who was studying early education and she loved going to Disney with Mikey. Frank was loving the new office as well. While his unit chief wasn't as familiar as the Captain, Frank's new partner, Special Agent Ray Toro, was giving Scully a run for her money. They'd gotten along famously well from the start and once they found out they both enjoyed playing guitar, they'd been jamming together on the weekends. Mikey had even joined them on the bass that he'd been teaching himself to play.

But now that they were back in NYC for the week, Frank was soaking up every minute that he could spend with his niece and nephew. When the Cap and Greta picked the couple along with Mikey and his girlfriend up from LaGuardia, Gerard had cried when he'd seen in person just how much Luna and Carter had grown.

"Frankie, she has teeth! And Carter's almost up to my shoulders now."

"Baby, Luna Moth had teeth when we left."

"But, like, little baby teeth. Now they're toddler teeth. She's so big!" Greta smiled and passed the two-year-old to the teary young artist. He pulled a silly face at her and she squealed, bouncing in his arms. "You probably don't remember me, sweetness, but I'm your Uncle Gee and I love you very much."

As the days passed, Luna warmed up to her two uncles and was constantly pulling herself up on their legs until they cuddled her while they caught up with the family. Carter, while excited to see his uncles, was eating up being able to hang out with his "best friend Mikey." When they'd moved to LA, Mikey and Carter had started playing Minecraft and Fortnite together, so of course now that he had Mikey with him in person, he spent most of his time talking the college student's ear off the way he normally did over their headsets, much to Mikey's girlfriend's amusement.

Now, in the lobby of the hotel, Carter was whining as his parents tried to convince him to let Mikey go back upstairs while they made their way out to the waiting car with Frank. He was finally persuaded when Frank handed over the small box he'd been carrying and asked Carter to keep it safe on their way to the park.

As the driver cut through the Manhattan traffic, Frank watched the familiar sights pass by. When they finally made it to the park, he smiled as he saw Scully and her boyfriend, Ray and his wife, Mrs. Biddlecomb, Aman, and Mikey's girlfriend waiting for them by a large, familiar maple tree. It was odd to think that less than five years ago, Frank had been sitting on a bench by that very tree, watching a Spider-Man-clad Carter running around the nearby playground when he'd first laid eyes on Gerard.

He stood with the Cap under the tree while their friends stood around them. Greta pulled out her phone to read a text before looking up at Frank and her husband.

"He's here," she said with a smile. "Are you ready?"

Frank took a deep breath and nodded while she typed back with one hand, balancing Luna in her other arm. A few moments later, Frank watched Gerard, Gee's old roommate, and Mikey step out of the back of a nearby car. As they made their way closer to the small group of friends, Gee clutched his younger brother's arm while his old roommate moved to stand next to Scully.

Gerard was wearing a long, white sundress and his pale skin almost looked as if it was glowing. His dark locks were loose and wavy around his face and his cheeks were a rosy pink with excitement. Frank had seen him with the same flush after their first kiss, their first "I love you's," and the day that Frank had proposed.

It was the week before their big move to LA and Frank had planned a nostalgic date for the two of them to say goodbye to the city. The morning started with bagels from Aman before stopping at their favorite comic shop.

"Hopefully there will be a place as cool as this near our new house. Maybe even close enough to walk." Gerard had gotten his driver's license through his high school's driver's education program but he'd never had access to a car afterwards. Frank knew how nervous the younger man was about having to drive again.

"You never know, baby. We're not to far from the pier so I bet there will be plenty of fun things to do around the house."

"I guess so. We'll just have to find out when we get there." Gee's voice was timid and Frank could hear the apprehension in his words.

"Are you sure you're okay with moving? I don't want to push you or Mikey into this."

"Mikey's really excited. He's been practically drooling at the thought since you brought it up."

"And what about you?" Frank held Gerard's hand tightly in his own as they left the store and headed for the subway. "It's okay if you don't want to go, baby. I won't be mad."

"No, I--" Gee's voice broke, and from the looks on the artist's face, Frank could tell he was trying to find the right words to say. "I know why we're moving, and I agree that we need to. Even without my dad in the picture, the mob is still here and I know mom's still mad. I don't think we'll ever feel truly safe living here again, and that's not home. Home is supposed to feel safe."

Frank gently squeezed Gerard's hand and felt the boy's fingers lace more tightly through his own.

"But it still feels sad to leave, ya'know? Our friends are all here, our happy memories--this is where we started. Our entire relationship is here." Gerard waved his free arm out, gesturing to the city in front of them.

"Baby, our entire relationship is here," Frank said, pointing between the two of them as they made their way down the steps of the station. "No matter where we are, we're still going to be together. A new house, a new city, that's not going to change how we feel about each other. I'm always going to love you, anywhere."

Gerard hummed in a half-hearted agreement.

"And I promise, Gee, we'll come back to visit. Even though we're moving, the city is always going to be one of our homes."

They spent the subway ride in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they listened to the sounds of the train travelling through the tunnels. When they arrived at the botanical gardens, Frank distracted Gerard with sweet smelling plants and memories of some of their favorite moments together. By the end of the afternoon, Gee was all smiles.

“We’ve got one more stop for the night, baby. I thought it might be nice to say goodbye to the place where this all started, so we’re going to have a dinner picnic in the park where we met. Does that sound okay?”

“Frankie, you’re going to make me cry! How’d a rough and tough FBI agent like you get to be so romantic?”

As they got to the park, Frank saw Mikey sitting on one of the benches with a picnic basket, his face buried in his cell phone. Frank assumed he was playing Cooking Craze again. Mikey had a habit of getting hooked on random cell phone games and playing them religiously for weeks before uninstalling them and moving on to the next one. The older couple approached the teen who handed off the picnic basket before giving them each a big hug, whispering “good luck” to Frank, and heading back to the apartment.

Frank pulled out a fleece blanket covered in tiny Death Stars and Storm Troopers and spread it out on the ground before offering his boyfriend a hand as they both sat down. He pulled out two jars of lemonade, two sandwiches, two bags of pretzels, and a Tupperware container full of strawberries. As they ate, Gerard and Frank shared their own memories of their meeting, laughing at each of their perspectives.

“I was just waiting for you to call me a creep for hanging out in a park, wearing a skirt, and drawing little kids!”

“I was just waiting for someone to call the cops on _me_ for hanging out in a park, covered in tattoos, and staring at little kids,” Frank responded with a laugh. They’d eaten the last of the strawberries, and Gerard had settled himself between Frank’s outstretched legs, his back against the agent’s strong chest. The older man was running his fingers through Gerard’s hair with one hand while the younger artist closed his eyes and leaned into the gentle touch.

“I love you, Gee. It was complete chance that we met, but I’m thankful every day for it.” Gerard hummed at his boyfriend’s words before the man continued. “I didn’t know what I was missing until I had you in my life, and now I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“That’s why we have to stick together, sugar. We’d be hopeless and sad without each other. I want to spend forever with you, so don’t go leaving me, okay? You’re the best boyfriend in all the west.”

“That’s impossible, because you’re the best boyfriend in all the west. And the east. And the entire fuckin’ universe, I’m pretty sure.”

“Not true!”

“Very true,” Frank grinned as he pecked the artist on the cheek. “But since you’re never going to agree with me, what if I asked if you wanted to be the best husband in the entire fuckin’ universe instead?”

Gerard froze for a moment before whipping around to look at the smiling agent, his eyes wide with surprise. Frank had managed to fish out the small, black box from the bottom of the picnic basket and as he spoke his next words, he flipped it open with deft fingers, revealing a narrow band inside.

“Gee, baby, you’re the best part of my life and I would do anything to spend the rest of my days loving you. Will you marry me?”

He didn’t so much get an answer as he got tackled to the ground and his face covered in teary kisses. Frank held him close, returning the kisses as best he could before Gerard finally responded with a, “yes, oh my gosh, Frankie--yes!”

“We’re gonna get married,” the agent said gleefully as he gently rolled Gerard onto his back so he was hovering over the artist, resting on his knees. He dug the ring from the box and slid it onto the boy’s finger before leaning down and pressing a fierce kiss to his fiancé’s lips.

“Can we get married here,” Gerard asked a while later, when they’d settled back onto the blanket, cozied up in each other’s arms.

“In New York? Sure, we can definitely fly back to get hitched.”

“No, I mean here, in the park. Just you, me, Mikey, and our friends. Right here under this tree.”

“That sounds perfect. Absolutely perfect,” Frank said, sealing the idea with a kiss.

Now, a little over a year since he’d proposed, Frank watched as Mikey walked his older brother across the park to where Frank was standing with the Cap. As soon as they were close enough, Frank grabbed Mikey in a huge hug.

“You’ve been my little brother since the day I met you. I love you, kid.”

“Yeah, yeah. I love you too, dude,” Mikey replied, wrinkling his nose and blinking like he was trying to keep a few tears from falling. As he stepped back to watch, standing in between his girlfriend and Carter, Frank reached out to hold Gerard’s hand and they listened to the Captain begin to speak.

“It seems like a lifetime ago that I first met Gerard, a few feet away from here. It was the same day that he and Frank met, and though I didn’t know at the time, that day was the beginning of one of the strongest relationships I’ve ever seen. These two have been through so much over the past several years, and no matter what life has handed them, they’ve gone through it together. They support each other, they work together, and most importantly, they continue to love one another.”

Gerard sniffled and used his free hand to wipe away some of the tears that had already escaped. The Captain smiled and offered a pack of tissues he had in his pocket, which the artist accepted with a smile.

“Frank, Gerard, I’m honored that you’ve asked me to officiate your marriage today. You both are such an important part of my family, the best uncles my children could ever ask for, and I am so happy that we are all here to witness as you take this next step in your relationship. Gee, if you’d like to say your vows now?” Gerard looked over to where his old roommate was standing, and she pulled a folded piece of paper from her purse. It was a light lilac color, and as the artist unfolded it, Frank could see it was covered in doodles of bats and hearts.

“Frankie, from the first day we met, you have always been someone who has made me feel safe, happy, and loved. I am my best self when I’m with you, and you treat me like I deserve the world. I used to be scared of my future. It was filled with uncertainty and there was a point in my life where I didn’t even think I’d live past twenty-five, but you’ve changed that. Now, the future excites me. I look forward to every new day, week, month, and year because I know they’ll be spent with you.” Gerard paused, lovingly squeezing Frank’s hand. “I promise to always love you and to be there for you for the rest of our lives together. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I promise that I will always be with you, always cherish you, always support you, always comfort you, and always love you. There is nothing that I want more than to be your husband and spend the rest of my days keeping these promises to you.”

Frank was tearing up as Gerard finished his vows. The artist folded the purple paper back up and handed it to the Captain while Frank pulled his own handwritten vows from his back pocket.

“Gee, four years, nine months, four weeks, three days, and about two and a half hours ago, I first talked to you in this park, only a few feet away from where we’re standing now. I remember that day perfectly, the huge crush that hit me out of nowhere when I first saw the cute boy sitting on the ground with a rainbow backpack and a sketchbook. Five days later, we went on our first date and had our first kiss, and it felt like everything was right in the world for the first time, even if I didn’t know it was wrong before. I remember the exact day and time I told you I loved you for the first time, I remember the day we moved in together, the day we got Mikey back, the day I almost lost you, the day I proposed, and the day we moved to LA. I remember all of these important milestones in our relationship like they were written on my skin, the way your name is on my hand and your soul is in my heart forever.” Frank turned their joined hands over so they could both see the heart tattoo he’d gotten with Gerard’s name across it. “What I don’t remember, though, is the exact moment I fell in love with you. I’ve been looking back over the past five-ish years and I can’t pin it down. But I think I’ve figured out why. Love isn’t something that happens in an instant. It’s not a moment where the way you look at someone changes--where their voice turns to music and their words become poetry.”

Frank’s voice was wavering with emotion. Gerard tugged at his hand until he stepped forward, feeling the artist’s arms wrap around him in a comforting hug. It took everything in him to pull back, to continue his vows, but he did with a quick kiss to the boy’s forehead.

“Love grows over time. It grows with every kiss, every hug, every bout of laughter, and every whisper as we’re falling asleep. Love grows every time we turn to each other when we’re scared, every time we make up after we get annoyed, and every time we dry each other’s tears. Our love started as a tiny seed in this very park almost five years ago, and over time, it’s grown into a strong foundation like the roots of this tree. And now, as we’re standing under this tree, marrying the heck out of each other, I don’t have to remember a nonexistent moment of falling in love with you because I get to spend the rest of my life continuing to grow our love until we’re old and grey and our tree’s got roots that go halfway to China, or, like, as far down as tree roots can go.” Frank grinned at his about-to-be-husband as their friends chuckled around them. “So, Gee, I promise to always love you and be there for you, no matter what else life throws at us, because you’re it for me. We’re two parts of the same tree and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

The Captain gestured for Carter to join them, and the young boy proudly handed over the box with the rings.

“Luna Moth tried to eat them but I didn’t let her, Uncle Frankie.”

Frank knelt down and hugged the kid, whispering “I knew you’d keep ‘em safe, dude. Thank you.” He stood back up and handed his ring to Gerard, keeping Gee’s ring safe in his other hand. As the Captain led them through the ring exchange, Frank’s heart began to race as their small ceremony drew to a close. With the rings securely on their fingers, they looked back to the Captain who was smiling back at them with joy in his eyes.

“Frank, Gee, it is my honor to officially introduce you to your friends and family here today as Mr. and Mr. Iero. I think you know what to do next.”

The agent laughed as his now husband hiked up the bottom of his dress and jumped into Frank’s arms, wrapping his legs around the older man’s waist. As they kissed for the first time in their marriage, everyone cheered over the sounds of the city behind them. Frank felt nothing but joy with his husband in his arms, surrounded by everyone they loved. He spun his husband around in a circle as he kissed him senseless, sending thoughts of thanks into the universe, to anyone who was listening and to whatever force had brought Gerard into his life.

They were married, and everything was finally right in their world. They had Mikey, they had a home, they had friends and family and a houseplant named Carl. They had sleepy Saturdays with cereal and cartoons. They had comic book shops and D&D with new friends in LA. They had trips to Disney with Mikey and his girlfriend. They had Sunday night Skype dinners with the Captain, Greta, Carter, and Luna. They had long walks by the ocean where Gee collected shells for collages and Frank pet every dog he saw playing on the beach. They had a bagel shop near their house that wasn't as good as Aman's but still made them think of the city. They had punk concerts and jam sessions with Ray and his guitar. They had group chats with Scully where she sent pictures of her crazy cat. There were so many good things rushing through Frank's mind, it was impossible for him to separate one thought from the other, but it didn't matter because they all boiled down to a simple sentiment that he'd never felt more than he did in that moment on their wedding day.

He and Gee were happy, and they were loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, this is it. It was kind of hard to write this ending, hence the almost month it took to finish it. I had it planned out but I kept re-writing because it didn't feel right, which I'm realizing now was just me feeling the bittersweet. I've got a whole folder full of random Frerard fanfic and half-baked oneshots, but this is the first one that I really knew how I wanted it to end, so I rolled with it. Now it's over and I can't help but be a little sad to say goodbye to these characters.
> 
> Thanks for sticking along for the ride! I hope you're all finding some happy in the world, whether it's reading fanfiction, or talking to friends, or cuddling a pet, or letting your voice be heard. You're all wonderful, and I've appreciated the comments and kudos. Each time I saw them, they put a smile on my face.


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